


New Beginnings

by EnglishPoet18



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-09
Updated: 2015-01-09
Packaged: 2018-03-06 20:35:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 46,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3147761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnglishPoet18/pseuds/EnglishPoet18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl and Merle are ranch owners, two hard working cowboys trying to make a life for themselves. What happens when an unexpected someone shows up on their doorstep one day? AU CARYL Fic...Rated M. I own nothing from The Walking Dead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

...

Daryl stroked the length of the horse's mane, admiring the way the horse twitched with pleasure. It was early out, the sun just rising over the horizon, but Daryl was always up early. He loved being outside at first light, the smell of the dew drying on the grass and the occasional sounds of the animals as they grazed in the pastures. The air felt more crisp, cleaner, and he breathed it deeply into his lungs. The quiet of the ranch brought him such a sense of peace and there was nothing that he loved more than being outside with the animals enjoying nature.

He took this moment much like he did most every morning to reflect on life and how far he had come. Things hadn't always been this easy for him and it had taken a lot of hard work, sweat, and determination to get this far. But it had been worth it. Continuing to stroke the horse, he looked out over the vast countryside. So many years of living dirt poor, struggling to make ends meet, and moving from place to place had left him with a great sense of gratitude for the place that he was at now. He would never forget where he came from, no matter how much it hurt because it had made him who he was today. He was always thankful for the life that he had been given, always remembering how hard it used to be.

The horse swished its tail, lightly brushing it against Daryl's arm that had quit moving while lost in thought. Daryl smiled and began stroking the horse again.

"Sorry 'bout that Apple. Got lost in thought," he murmured to the horse.

She shook her head as if agreeing with him that she understood and Daryl patted her shiny coat affectionately. Daryl tried not to play favorites with the animals, but it was safe to say that Apple was one of his favorites if he were to choose. Having raised her from a foal, she had been with him for a long time now. She was also smart, having come from good breeding stock and having been trained well. Of all of the animals, she seemed to understand him on a much deeper level and he loved her all the more for it.

A loud whistle got his attention and he turned to see his brother Merle striding across the yard and into the corral. He was carrying something and if Daryl had to guess what it was, he would bet that it was food. Merle Dixon was a lover of lots of things, his top two being food and women. Since there were no women present, then Daryl only had to assume that it was food. He waited as his brother drew closer to him.

As usual he was right and as Merle came to a stop, he held out his hand to Apple, letting her eat the biscuit from his palm. She gobbled up the treat and Merle rubbed her nose making her nudge against his hand in a show of affection.

"You made biscuits and didn't bring me any?" Daryl asked with a frown.

Merle chuckled around a mouthful of fluffy goodness, "That's what you get for drinkin' the last bit of the milk."

Daryl rolled his eyes, "Your ass don't even like milk."

Merle shrugged, "Don't mean I don't drink it occasionally asshole."

Merle began walking towards the edge of the fence and Daryl fell into step beside him, both of the brothers stopping to lean against a wooden post. They stared off across the vast expanse of their land in silence.

"'Bout time to start lookin' for some help for the summer," Merle commented.

Daryl sighed. He had known that was coming and he dreaded it. It seemed like it was getting harder and harder to find good help these days and Daryl didn't trust people easily. He and his brother had been burned one too many times and it made him wary of most people. Especially people who were going to have full access of their land and lifeline.

Ranching was their life now and they did pretty well at it. At first they had fumbled and almost lost everything trying to make this work, but with help from their neighbor Hershel Greene, they had managed to pull themselves up and make a profit. Merle mostly handled the money and selling of farm animals while Daryl preferred to spend his time with the animals. He loved animals.

Daryl huffed, "Hard to find good help these days. Everybody we done hired either steals or don't want to half work."

Merle nodded, "Yeah, but we ain't got much choice. Can't do all this shit 'round here by ourselves."

"I know."

Merle pushed away from the rail, "I've got to head into town, see to some business. I'll put an ad in the paper while I'm out, ask around an' see if anyone might know someone."

"Yeah, I got to feed the animals and get some shit done around here. See ya in a bit," Daryl called as they parted ways to start their day.

...

"Hey there, Dixon."

Daryl threw a glance over his shoulder, his eyes landing on Bree, their neighbor's daughter. She was barely eighteen years old, but she had an extreme crush on him although Daryl never returned the feelings. He wasn't up for jailbait and even if she were older she wasn't his type. He turned back to his task of coiling up rope, rolling his eyes as he did so.

She bounced over to him her dark brown hair pulled back into a braid that swung down her back. He felt her green eyes travel over his bare chest and he tried his best to be friendly, not wanting to piss off the neighbors, his main reason for tolerating her.

"Somethin' I can do for you, Bree?" He asked impatiently as he lifted the coiled rope onto his shoulder, the gloves on his hands making them sweat.

"Just dropping by to say hi."

Daryl nodded. "Hey," he replied, hoping she would just leave and he could carry on about his business.

"It's awful hot out," she remarked as she fell into step beside him, trying to keep up with his long strides.

"Mhm," he grunted absently, his mind on other tasks that needed to be done.

"Thinking about heading down to the creek for a swim. Wanna come?" 

Daryl let his eyes shift over to her and he let out a slightly annoyed sigh. "Ain't got time to go swimmin', Bree. I got shit that needs doin'. Don't you have any friends to go with you?"

She jogged in front of him, walking backwards as she stared at him. "Course I got friends," she replied. "I ain't got any _boy_ friends though."

Daryl changed directions, hoping that Merle would show back up and he could use him as a distraction. In the ranch business it was never a good idea to piss off neighboring ranchers just in case any of your animals ever traveled onto their land. Good neighbors were more likely to return them, but pissed off neighbors tended to react differently. Daryl ground his teeth in frustration. He wished he had seen her coming then he could have disappeared before she had ever saw him.

Ignoring her boyfriend comment, he set the rope inside of the barn, yanking off his gloves and throwing them onto a shelf. He stepped outside to the pump they had and pumped the handle so that the cool water flowed out onto his hands. The sun was shifting lower in the sky with the afternoon upon them, but it was still hot as blazes outside. He wasn't sure that their was any part of him not covered in a layer of dirt and sweat.

He took a step back as Bree stepped into his personal space, growing more daring to his further irritation. She was looking up at him with doe eyes and he wanted to cringe, searching his mind for an excuse to get her to go away.

The sound of Merle's truck roaring up the drive, rock music blaring had Daryl sighing in relief. Hopefully he could pawn her off on Merle if his brother wasn't being an asshole. It was hard to tell what kind of mood Merle would be in.

Stepping away from Bree, Daryl strode over to Merle's truck hearing her little boots hitting the hard ground behind him. Damn girl was like a leech.

Merle shut off the truck, climbing out of the cab as his eyes surveyed the situation. Merle wasn't too fond of Bree either, mostly because she tended to get in the way. She didn't seem to have a crush on Merle like she did him though, to Daryl's frustration. He frowned at Merle as his brother's eyes twinkled with humor upon seeing Daryl in a situation he wasn't getting out of easily.

"You put that ad in the paper?" Daryl was hoping to distract his brother before he said something obscene.

"Yep. Asked around town too. Might have some potential prospects. Have to see how it turns out. Looks like you got ya some help while I was out though." Merle smirked, his eyes drifting to Bree, "How you doin', sugar?"

"I'm doing just fine Merle. Tryin' to convince Daryl here to go swimmin' with me." She fluttered her eyes in Daryl's direction again, but he looked the other way.

Merle chuckled, "Sounds like fun lil' brother. Why don't you go on down there an' take a lil' dip?"

Daryl growled and flipped Merle off behind his back, his eyes sparking fire at his brother. Merle snickered again, clearly enjoying Daryl's discomfort.

"Merle," Daryl warned.

Merle draped his arm across the young girl's shoulders, "Ain't got time to play with ya today sugar. Busy time of the year an' all. Maybe some other time, alright?"

Bree stuck her lips out in a pout, but she finally nodded and turned to leave much to Daryl's relief. She waved at them both over her shoulder. "I'll catch you some other time Daryl," she called out, swishing her hips as she walked off.

The brothers waited until she was out of ear shot before talking.

"I tell ya, if she weren't almost twenty years younger than me, I'd be all over that piece," Merle drawled.

Daryl shook his head. "Sick bastard," He teased. "Damn girl's annoyin' as hell."

Merle sucked his teeth, a habit he had formed over the years that had never went away. "Might be annoyin' but ya gotta admit...she's sure been blessed with quite a body on her."

"All your ass ever thinks about is sex. Get your shit in gear, we got work to do before the sun goes down."

Daryl turned without a word, leaving his brother still standing there. He didn't have time for little girls or for romance. He had yet to meet a woman who could handle him anyway.

...


	2. Chapter 2

...

Carol sighed in frustration as she leaned her head against the passenger side window of the car. She was exhausted after being on the road for nearly nine hours without stopping to rest. She was scared to fall asleep though, worried that Ed would punish her for it later. He was being a nasty sort of asshole today so she was being extra cautious.

She and Ed had only been married for six months and it had been the worst six months of Carol's life. He was emotionally abusive, constantly berating her for anything and everything. She could do nothing right anymore and she was basically worthless as a human being according to him. Carol had never been one to take such abuse, but he was so much bigger than her physically that she felt powerless to stop him. She had learned her lesson about talking back to him early on when he had smacked her in the mouth so hard she had almost lost a tooth.

She was biding her time though. As soon as they arrived at their destination, she was plotting to leave him. She wasn't sure how, but she figured she would just run away, leaving him behind to wonder. She wasn't sure of much after that though. If she had any family of her own still living then that would have been her first option, but there wasn't anyone.

Now they had been on the road for nine hours, driving to go and visit Ed's uncle who was on his deathbed. Carol knew that Ed cared nothing about the man though. He was only going to see him because there was the possibility that he could collect some money from his uncle's death, nothing more. Carol might have been weak, but she wasn't stupid by any means. She could see right through Ed down to his filthy soul. He was a manipulator, a skeleton of a man who got off on pushing other people around.

"Hey!" Ed said angrily, reaching over to push her on the shoulder. "Talkin' to you!"

Carol blinked, turning to look at him. She hadn't even realized that he had been talking to her and she was sure that she was in for it now.

"Yes, Ed?" Carol replied.

He was angry, his jaw twitching as he tapped his thumbs against the steering wheel. She held her breath for fear that he would suddenly lash out at her again. One day he was going to kill her if she didn't leave. She was sure of it.

"Where the fuck are we? I thought you were supposed to be navigating over there?"

Ed hadn't said anything to her about navigating and Carol was terrible with directions. She hadn't had the opportunity to travel much in her life, but she had always wanted to. She used to have dreams too...before Ed had crushed them all under the heel of his ugly brown shoe.

Carol fumbled between the seats, looking for the map that she had seen Ed put there earlier. He was cursing under his breath, mumbling something about stupid women and long car rides when she found it. She pulled out the crinkled paper and did her best to open it, searching with her finger for where they were currently. She knew they were in Colorado, but she didn't recall seeing a sign for their current town. She frowned as she read the map.

"Ed, didn't you say your uncle was in Nebraska?" 

"Yeah, what of it?" He grunted.

"We're in Colorado...I think you took a wrong turn somewhere. We shouldn't have even had to come down this way," she said.

She may not have been good with directions, but she could definitely tell that they shouldn't have even hit Colorado if they were coming from Wyoming. They should have been in Nebraska long before now. She glanced at Ed and she could see his face turning red, a good indication that shit was about to hit the fan and she was usually the brunt of it.

"What the fuck you mean we're in goddamn Colorado? Can't you fuckin' read? Useless bitch!" He roared, his hand jerking the steering wheel in anger.

"I'm sorry Ed. It's just that the map says," Carol pointed, making the grave error of flashing his mistake at him.

He reached out and tore the map in half with his hand, throwing the pieces at her. He swerved the car, pulling them onto the side of the road in a cloud of dust. Carol looked around, not seeing any stop signs or even any houses really. There wasn't much around but miles and miles of fields.

"Get out!" Ed snarled, pointing at the side of the road.

Carol blinked at him. He couldn't be serious. Was he really leaving her on the side of the road? Her heart began to flutter nervously in her chest. She wanted to leave him, but she had no idea where she was and the nearest house could be miles away. She would more than likely dehydrate before she found anyone.

"But, Ed I-"

"Can't you hear?" He sneered, reaching over her for the door handle.

He pushed the door open, a wave of heat washing into the air conditioned car. Carol swallowed, still holding onto the pieces of the map like a lifeline. She climbed out of the car on shaky legs, slowly shutting the door behind her. He rolled down the window.

"Since you're so fucking good with that map you can find your own damn way to Nebraska! If I'm feeling generous I'll swing back by on my way home and pick you up if you're still here!" He laughed and hit the gas, sending a dust cloud of dirt over her and making her cough.

She waved her hand in front of her face as her eyes burned. Staring at the tail lights of the car, she stood there and watched in disbelief until it disappeared from view. Ed had really left her. Part of her didn't want to believe it could be this easy, but the other part of her knew just how screwed she was if she didn't find some water and some shade soon.

Shielding the sun from her eyes with her hand, she scanned the area around her looking for some sign of life, but she saw nothing. She didn't remember passing anything for quite some time in the direction they had come from so she figured it was better to just keep moving forward. She was hoping that she might get lucky and stumble upon a house where she could get a drink of water and...She stopped.

_And then what Carol? Call for help? Who would she call?_

She swallowed the lump of fear that crowded her throat and pushed herself forward. She would have plenty of time to think about the what if she actually found a house soon. Until then, she would just have to pray that things would work out.

After all, they couldn't get any worse, could they?

...

Daryl grunted as he picked up the fallen fence post, using his shoulder to hold the heavy piece of wood upright as he kicked loose dirt into the hole around it. The sun was at its highest peak in the sky, the rays hitting him full force as he worked. Across the fields he could see Merle on the tractor, busy cutting down one of the pastures that they hadn't used before, but decided they might need to use now.

It was dusty, the land around them in desperate need of rain. Daryl hoped that they got some soon. A lot of the ranchers depended on the rain and it would definitely help with the dust and heat something Daryl was still getting used to himself.

The brothers hadn't grown up in Colorado. They had spent most of their life in Georgia, only taking off to Colorado once their father had passed - their last living relative. It was then that they had decided that there was nothing keeping them in Georgia and no life to be had for them there. They had packed all of their shit up and taken off on a cross-country trip, not really knowing their destination at the time.

It was only when they were passing through Colorado that Daryl's interest had been piqued at the prospect of ranching. Merle had thought he was crazy, but Daryl had seen something there. When they had driven by the property, the yellow foreclosure sign swinging lightly in the breeze, Daryl had known that this was what they were meant to do.

They had gotten a small lump sum of money after their father had passed and they used that to purchase the land, borrowing some from the bank to get themselves started. It had been really tight and scary for a while because neither of them had had any idea of what they were doing, but somehow they had made it through. Today they were considered one of the more productive ranches in the area, pulling in almost six figures a year.

Daryl whistled for Apple who was several yards away munching on some grass and she came trotting over to him. He patted her on the neck, sliding up onto her back as if they were made for one another. He had long since stopped using a saddle on her. He didn't care for them much. They seemed too constricting and he knew if he were a horse he wouldn't want to have something like that wrapped around his stomach. It had taken lots of trial and error, but he had finally managed to get Apple used to him riding her bareback.

Threading his fingers into her long mane, he lightly nudged her with his boot so that she began following the fence. He needed to make sure that all of the fencing was secure so that they could let the animals graze in this pasture. He stared out into the distance, his eyes roaming lazily over the Colorado landscape.

In the distance he could still hear Merle on the tractor, smiling as he imagined his brother with his headphones plugged in, rock music blaring in his ears. He itched for a cigarette, but he had purposely left his pack at the house, knowing that he didn't really need them. He was trying to quit, but it was a hard habit to break.

A figure in the distance caught his eye, a slip of something close to the main road. He eased Apple to a stop, his eyes scanning the area intently. It was very unusual to see anyone walking the main road. The ranches here weren't that close together and with the heat like it was, most people traveled by horse or car. You could dehydrate if you weren't careful. He stared at the image for several minutes while trying to decide if he was hallucinating or not.

Nudging Apple with his foot, he turned her in that direction, jogging towards the figure. The closer he got, the more he could make out a person in the distance and he frowned, trying to decide what business they had out this way. Clearly they weren't from the area if they were out walking around in this. His hand skirted over his knife, his weapon of choice when riding. It was easier to conceal and carry and he wasn't a fan of guns even though he knew how to shoot.

When the figure suddenly stopped and then dropped from view, Daryl urged Apple into a run, her strong legs carrying them easily over to the person. Daryl halted the animal inches from the figure, sliding off of her easily. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the figure crumpled on the ground, pale and looking very much dehydrated lying there. He lay two fingers at the base of their throat and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a pulse. Digging his cell from his back pocket, he hit the button to call his brother.

"Get up to the house. Found a woman passed out up here by the road. Call Hershel," he ordered before snapping the phone closed.

He slipped it back into his pocket and eased his arms underneath the woman, surprised by how light she was. She cradled to his chest easily, her eyelids jumping while she murmured incoherently. He shushed her, soothing her as if she were a scared animal and lay her across Apple's back while he swung up behind her. He pulled her back against his chest, one arm held tight around her waist as he urged Apple to run.

"Get us home, girl."

...


	3. Chapter 3

...

Daryl eased Apple to a stop by the house as Merle stepped out, talking on the phone. He shot a worried glance in Daryl's direction as he strode over to him. Daryl eased the woman from the horse, lifting her over his shoulder as if she weighed nothing.

"What the hell brother? Who the fuck is that?" Merle asked, the phone still glued to his ear.

"Don't know. Found her out towards the road. Was trying to see what she was doing when she just fell. Think she's overheated," Daryl replied as he walked past his brother and into the cool confines of the house.

He debated on where to put her and then decided that the couch was closer. They needed to get her body cooled down quickly. Merle stepped through the door after him, the screen door swinging shut loudly behind him.

"We need Hershel?" Merle asked.

"I don't know, Merle. Fuck! Give me a minute," Daryl said as he laid her down. "She's got goddamn pants on in this heat."

Merle shook his head, "She ain't from around these parts brother. You don't jus' take off down the road with pants on an' no water to keep hydrated."

"Let me see that phone," Daryl demanded as he stuck out his hand toward Merle. "Hershel?"

"Yes, Daryl?" Hershel Greene's calm voice responded. "Explain to me what's going on."

Hershel Greene was their neighbor, mentor, and their go-to person for advice. He was a veterinarian, but he had also practiced as a family doctor years ago so he had a vast amount of medical knowledge. Most of the people in the area usually called him first being that it would take an ambulance too long to travel to their area.

Daryl swiped a hand through his short hair and stared at the woman. She had shoulder length brown hair that hung limply around her face. Her body looked so small and frail lying on their big couch that he felt rather sorry for her. She was dressed in a t-shirt that was a little loose on her, jeans, and she wore sneakers.

"This woman passed out down there by the road. She's hot to the touch, still got a pulse, but it feels kinda faint." Daryl skipped most of the details of finding her, focusing instead on the specifics that Hershel might need to know.

"Okay... It's hard to establish what's going on when I'm not there, but it sounds like she could be suffering from heat exposure. So here's what I want you to do first. Take some of her clothing off and see if you can't get her cooled down some. Wet a washcloth and wipe it over her skin. If she awakens, she's going to need lots of water, but not too cold. I'm tied up at the moment from being able to leave the ranch, but if that doesn't work to bring her around, you call me back, understand?"

"That's what I figured it might be. Got it," Daryl replied.

"I'll be out that way later this evening to do a more thorough check," Hershel added.

"Alright, thanks Hershel," Daryl replied before disconnecting the call.

"Washcloth?" Merle asked.

Daryl nodded. "Yep. He thinks it's heat exhaustion which is most likely. Gotta take some of her clothes off."

"Be right back. I'll grab some water too while I'm at it," Merle said.

Daryl worked on the woman's shoes first, untying them and placing them out of the way before peeling off her socks. Her skin was hot to the touch, way hotter than it should have been and Daryl tried to work as quickly as possible. He tried to overlook the fact that he was undressing some strange woman basically down to her underwear in his living room and instead tried to focus on the fact that she needed help. Her face was flushed, her cheeks bright red and her lips were dry and cracked. Unbuttoning her jeans, he worked at a fast pace to peel them down her hips and her legs, placing them to the side with her other things. His eyes skirted over her pink panties and he began rolling her shirt up so that he could remove it next.

"Goddamn. Woman ain't nothin' but bone," Merle muttered as he appeared behind Daryl with the washcloth and water suddenly.

Daryl nodded, blowing out a breath. "Help me lift her so I can get her shirt off," he grunted.

Merle set down the items and moved behind the woman to pick her up under the arms. With some maneuvering, Daryl was able to get her shirt off. He decided to leave the matching pink bra on, not really wanting to get that familiar with the strange woman who was very much a mystery to the both of them.

"You want to wipe her down?" Daryl asked Merle.

Merle shook his head, "Nah, you doin' just fine lil' brother. Besides you need the practice." Merle winked obscenely and Daryl flipped him off.

He picked up the wet washcloth and began rubbing it over her skin, trying to bring down her body temperature as quickly as possible. He really hoped they weren't too late and that they could get her cooled down. Daryl wasn't sure what would happen once she woke up and saw that she was undressed and lying on a couch surrounded by two strange men. Hopefully they could keep her calm and let her know that they were harmless. He was really curious as to who this mystery woman was and where she had come from.

...

Carol was hot... too hot. She knew she shouldn't have stayed outside so long reading that book and fallen asleep. She mumbled under her breath, trying to open her eyes, but they wouldn't open. Why couldn't she wake up?

She felt a slightly cool breeze flow across her skin and she leaned into it, wanting more of its coolness. Something touched her forehead, a brush of a hand across her foot and she stiffened. Why was Ed touching her? Where was she and why was she still asleep? She must have been sleeping harder than she thought. Carol felt the touch of a hand again and she frowned. Ed was never gentle with her and he never touched her unless he wanted sex. Even then, it was never affectionate, always rough.

She gasped as she felt the first sprinkle of rain and her eyes flew open. Blinking rapidly, it took her a moment to adjust to the fact that she wasn't outside. At first she thought she had simply been lying in the house and had fallen asleep on the couch. Then the trip came rushing back to her and she realized that she was in a stranger's house...and there was a man looming over her with a washcloth in his hands.

Fear gripped her body and she cringed, a cry of help dying out in her dry throat. Her eyes took in the man and then the fact that she was in her bra and panties. They were going to rape her. She began to flail about on the couch. It was her worst nightmare come true and she wouldn't let it happen to her if she could help it.

"Easy...not gonna hurt you," the man soothed, holding up both hands where she could see them. He handed her a small throw blanket and she snatched it, pulling it over herself.

Carol whimpered, her throat sore as she swallowed and realized how incredibly thirsty she was. She didn't remember anything past walking down the road. This man must have kidnapped her and now they were going to use her body to their liking. She began to pant, her heart racing as she searched for an exit. That's when she noticed that there were actually two men and she felt the crippling panic seep into her bones.

The man nearest her exchanged glances with the man who stood near the doorway. He backed a step away from her, his eyes on hers.

"I'm not gonna hurt you ma'am." The man who had been touching her said again, his deep voice washing over her. "You collapsed out by the road. I brought you back here on my horse. The heat got to you out there. Gonna need you to drink somethin'...it'll help make you feel better," he explained.

Carol eyed him warily as he held a glass of what looked like water to her. She slowly accepted it, never taking her eyes off of the man as she sniffed it. She wasn't even sure what she was smelling it for, but there was no scent so she took the smallest of sips. The first sip of water was heaven and she tipped up the glass, eagerly pouring the rest of the fluid into her stomach.

"Slow down. Don't try to drink so fast," he urged.

She backed off a little, bringing the glass down and wetting her dry lips with her tongue. The motion caused her slight pain and she winced.

"My name is Daryl and that's my brother Merle," the man explained, pointing to the slightly larger man by the door who tipped his head at her.

"Did you have an accident? Is that why you were walkin' out in the middle of nowhere?" Daryl asked.

She shook her head, wishing it had been that easy. It didn't escape her mind that Ed had practically abandoned her without a dime to her name in the middle of nowhere. She had nothing...no clothing at all except what she had been wearing. She had no money and nowhere to go. Carol drew her knees up to her chest and set the glass down on the table by the couch. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her forehead against them, trying to draw strength despite the situation.

"Uh, maybe I should step out a minute brother. I'll be out front if ya need me," Merle said.

Carol heard the sound of a door opening and closing, but she didn't look up. She didn't know what she was supposed to tell this man. She was embarrassed to have to tell him the truth...that her husband was an asshole who had simply dropped her off beside the road to teach her a lesson. What kind of a man did that to his wife anyway? It was degrading.

"Anything I can get you?" Daryl asked.

Carol shook her head, finally lifting it to stare at her savior. The first thing she noticed were his piercing blue eyes that seemed to bore into her soul. He had sandy brown hair, trimmed short and neat as well as a beard. He was of medium build, wearing blue jeans and a sleeveless shirt that showed off nicely toned arms. His expression was blank, his eyes studying her calmly. He had kind eyes, unlike Ed whose eyes had always been so full of anger and hostility.

"I'm Carol," she finally spoke.

He raised his brows at her sudden speech and he dipped his head at her in greeting.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Carol. Glad to hear you talkin'...must mean you're feeling a little better," he replied.

Carol nodded. She didn't feel quite as hot as before. Her throat was still dry though, but she didn't want to impose on the man so she kept quiet.

"You got somewhere that you were headin'?" 

Carol bit her lip, closing her eyes briefly before shaking her head, "No...I...how far is the nearest town?" 

He blew out a breath, leaning against the mantle by the fireplace and crossing one lean leg over the other.

"About thirty miles or so," he responded.

It appeared that she wouldn't be walking to town from here in this heat and now she was at a loss as to what to do.

"Where you from?" 

"Wyoming," Carol answered.

He stared at her so intently that she shifted underneath his gaze, feeling almost like he was reading all of her innermost thoughts. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it made her feel vulnerable in a way that she wasn't used to. He was quiet for so long that she jumped a little when he finally started speaking again.

"You got somewhere to go, Carol?"

She debated on her answer to that question. If she said yes and he questioned her further, she wouldn't know what to tell him. She had never been good at lying and she had always striven to be an honest person. If she said no though...well she didn't know what would happen with that either.

Deciding that it probably wouldn't matter either way, she decided to be upfront and honest. Honesty had never done her wrong thus far in her life.

"No. I don't have anywhere to go," she finally responded.

..........


	4. Chapter 4

_..._

_She had nowhere to go?_

Daryl scratched at his beard and stared off into the distance from the covered front porch. There was a storm brewing on the horizon. He could see the difference in the formation of the clouds and the way the air had changed around them. He sighed, scrubbing at his face with his hand. She had disappeared to his bathroom and he was giving her some time to do whatever she needed to do.

He didn't know what to do with her. He couldn't just take her back to where she had come from...not if she didn't have anywhere to go back to. He felt bad for her, but he tried not to let it show. She seemed like the type who didn't appreciate sympathy and he could relate to that. He didn't handle sympathy well either.

"She doin' alright now brother?" Merle asked as he strolled over to the porch, placing one boot on the bottom step.

Merle lifted his hat and wiped at his sweaty brow, placing the hat on his knee while he took a swig of water from a bottle he had pulled from his pocket. Daryl sighed, watching his brother. He had hoped that by walking outside for some air, he would get some kind of indication as to how he should handle this situation, but nothing was coming to him.

"She seems better...color's coming back and all. Got a new problem now though," Daryl said.

"What's that?" Merle asked, squinting in his direction from the glare of the sun.

"She don't have anywhere to go. Asked how far it was to the nearest town, but hell Merle...don't look to me like she has any money. So what's she gonna do when she gets there?" 

Merle shook his head, blowing out a deep breath.

"I suppose I'll try to find work somewhere and then go from there." Carol's voice startled them both and both pairs of piercing blue eyes swung in her direction.

Daryl hadn't even heard her come outside. Damn woman moved like a panther and he and Merle exchanged glances, no words needing to be said aloud. Daryl knew what his brother was thinking. There was no way they could take this woman into town and drop her off with a good conscience. That just wasn't how they operated. Both of them had seen their share of hard times and they knew firsthand how hard shit could be. Carol looked like she had hit the end of her rope.

"Can you cook?" Merle asked, catching Daryl off guard.

"I can," she said in a confused voice.

"Biscuits- canned or homemade?" Merle pressed.

Carol flushed, "I was taught to make them by hand. My mama taught me when I was a teenager." 

Merle whistled, "Hot damn! I ain't gotta cook anymore. You're hired."

Daryl just stared between them, thankful that his brother was a quick thinker. He looked at Carol and she shifted her eyes to him, apparently trying to figure out if they were serious or not.

"Hired?" She asked.

"Damn straight! This one over here can't even boil a damn egg and I'm fuckin' tired of playing Betty fuckin' Crocker," Merle said with a grin.

Daryl glared at him and then cleared his throat. "We could use some help around the house being that it's summer and we'll be outside most of the time. Maybe you could do the cooking and some laundry?" He asked. "We'd pay you," he hurriedly added.

"I..." She looked between them and then nodded wearily. "I could do that."

Merle let out a whoop, picking up his cowboy hat and placing it back on his head. He bounded up the steps and enveloped Carol in a crushing hug that had her eyes growing wide as saucers. Daryl rolled his eyes.

"Merle," he warned.

Merle seemed to remember that she was skittish then and he quickly placed her back on her feet, throwing her an apologetic grin.

"Well damn. Ain't used to holdin' back," Merle said.

"No...it's okay," Carol shook her head, taking a step back.

"Sorry about that," Daryl stepped in. "He's a bit of a handful. Raised in a barn and all."

"Fuck off," Merle grunted, wrapping a meaty arm around Daryl's neck and squeezing affectionately.

"Storm's coming," Daryl noted as he slid from Merle's grip. "Gonna show Carol to a room and then I'll help you get shit ready. Looks like it's gonna be a good one."

Merle turned, his eyes scanning the clouds in the distance. He sighed, "Yep. Reckon' I ought to get out there and get some shit done. Can't make money sitting on your ass." He threw a smile in Carol's direction, tipped his hat at her and disappeared around the corner of the house.

"Sorry," Daryl apologized again. "He really was raised in a barn."

He held the door open for Carol and was shocked when she giggled softly. The sound sent shivers through his body and he swallowed, following along behind her into the house.

...

"This can be your room," Daryl said as he opened the door to the spare bedroom, stepping back so that Carol could walk inside.

The room wasn't fancy, but it was comfortable. They rarely used the room because they so rarely had company overnight so most times it sat unused and closed off. They had a cabin located on the land as well, but it was used by whatever ranch hand they employed at the time if it was needed. Daryl didn't want to put her there, thinking she would be safer staying in the house.

Not that she wasn't safe in the cabin, but Daryl didn't know that much about her yet. He just had this gut feeling that there was something deeper going on with her that she wasn't saying. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but just to be safe, he would feel better with her staying within the house.

He watched as she entered the room, trailing her fingers softly over the quilt that covered the single bed. She wandered to the window, peering out at the view of the vast countryside. The best thing about most of the rooms in the house was the view. He and Merle had done a lot of remodeling to the house and that had been one of their main focus areas. Both of them were the outdoors type so having lots of windows and views of the outside was a major plus when they couldn't actually be out there.

"I just realized you don't have any stuff," Daryl commented. "I can make a run into town later and we can get you a few things if you like."

Carol turned to him, her blue eyes catching in the light and making them sparkle with life. He tilted his head, really taking note of just how beautiful she was.

"That would be lovely. Thank you Daryl," she said.

He shifted a little at the way his name rolled off of her tongue. Scratching his head, he took a step closer to the doorway, not wanting to invade the space that was deemed as hers.

"The kitchen is just down the hallway if you get hungry or thirsty. Make sure you keep hydrated...especially if you come outdoors," he cautioned.

She blushed, remembering her fallout. "I will. Thank you...for everything."

He shrugged, "No need to thank me." They both looked towards the window as a low rumble of thunder echoed through the house. "I best be getting out there to help Merle before that storm catches up to us. Make yourself at home."

"Daryl?" Carol called out as he turned to leave. He turned back to her, lifting a brow in response. "What time do you and Merle usually eat?"

He shifted, "You don't have to cook for us tonight, Carol. It's your first night here."

"What time?" She pressed. "Please."

"We like to try and eat between five and five-thirty," he responded.

She nodded. "Okay."

...

Carol inhaled deeply as Daryl shut the door to her new room behind him, giving her some space. She rubbed her arms, unsure for the moment what to do with herself. It all felt surreal, being here and away from Ed.

Rumbling thunder in the distance drew her to the window and she stood there staring at the view. It was such a majestic view with the mountains peaking in the distance, thunderclouds rolling in. She could almost smell the hint of rain now and she unlocked the window, tugging on it to raise it up. The light scent of impending rain flowed into the room and she breathed the smell deeply into her lungs. It brought back so many memories of her childhood...most of them good, but some of them bad.

She had just closed her eyes when she heard their voices and she stepped back, startled for a second. She started to close the window, but then she heard her name and stepped to the side, listening guiltily.

"...Carol?"

"Be nice to have a woman around here doin' all the cookin' brother. Sure as hell will look better in an apron than your hairy ass."

"Shut up, Merle." Carol snickered, listening to them banter back and forth.

"I'm just sayin' brother. Thought about askin' your girlfriend Bree and all, but then figured she wouldn't get no work done what with starin' at you and shit."

There was a loud groan and then a sigh, "Why you gotta bring that shit back up?"

"You know Bree ain't gonna like it when she finds out there's a woman livin' here."

A low growl. "Don't you know when to shut your fuckin' mouth? This isn't any of her business..."

Their voices began to fade some and Carol peeked out of the window to watch them walking over to the corral where the horses were. She thought about their conversation, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. Daryl had a girlfriend? She should have figured as much. He seemed like a really nice guy and very good looking at that...of course he would have a girlfriend. She sighed, shutting the window as she leaned her forehead against it.

A particularly loud clap of thunder sounded and the flash of lightning that followed had her jumping. She heard a yell and she glanced out of the window to see Merle standing there laughing at Daryl who was covered head to toe in mud. She placed one hand over her mouth as a giggle escaped her, watching as he glared at Merle. She didn't see how it had happened, but she had an idea that Merle must have had something to do with it. He seemed like the type to play pranks.

She watched Merle stroke the horses, guiding them along towards a big barn as Daryl stalked silently behind him. There was another crack of thunder and the bottom dropped out, the rain seeming to fall in buckets upon the earth. The rain washed the mud from Daryl's body, but the image that she was left with nearly scorched her mind. His clothes were stuck to his skin, his hair dripping wet and plastered to his head. She stared in silent longing as he tugged his shirt over his head, proceeding to finish his chore shirtless. He was well-built, the muscles of his back and arms nicely toned from hours of hard work. He had a deep tan as well and she let her eyes feast over him.

All too quickly he disappeared into the barn after Merle and she moved away from the window. It would do her no good to have thoughts about her two rescuers...especially not when they were already attached. She didn't want to step on anyone's toes and she certainly wasn't looking forward to meeting Bree.

...


	5. Chapter 5

...

Carol wandered outside the next morning after breakfast to get a bit of fresh air and take in her surroundings. She felt better now that she had some clean clothing although she didn't feel good about the men buying it for her. Daryl and Merle had both insisted though and Carol had given in, knowing that she couldn't keep wearing the same outfit over and over again every day.

Breakfast had gone smoothly and Carol had been surprised at the strength of both of their appetites. She didn't know where they put all the food that they ate and still stayed so lean. Their appetites seemed never ending, but she was happy that they seemed to enjoy her cooking so much. It had been a long time since someone had appreciated her efforts at doing something. It felt nice.

The men were hard at work, noises drifting over to her as she walked. The air was clear, the land lush with green grass that went on for miles. Everything was postcard worthy and she couldn't stop looking. As she passed the stables, she heard the nickering of a horse so she stepped inside tentatively, striding through to peer into the stalls. The horse she had observed yesterday was in the last stall and she paused there to stare at it, unsure of whether or not to approach it.

The horse was beautiful with a brown shiny coat and a white spot between its eyes that made it stand out from the rest. It studied her as she studied it, not sure of whether it was a girl or boy. She wanted to touch the horse, but she was a little hesitant. She hadn't ever been around a horse before and Ed had always hated animals so she hadn't ever had any.

Daryl entered the stables, looking for the pair of gloves that he had taken off earlier while he was brushing the horses. He remembered setting them down somewhere, but he couldn't put his finger on where exactly. His eyes searched the area, landing on Carol down at the end stall. He paused, watching her as she muttered to herself or the horse, he couldn't tell. Slightly amused, he made his way down the aisle and stood just behind her, watching her.

"Go on," he coaxed when she reached her hand out toward Apple and then hesitated. "She ain't gonna bite."

Carol jumped, turning startled eyes to him and he felt bad for having scared her. He sometimes forgot that he was so silent.

She offered him a small smile, "I've never touched a horse before."

Daryl was astonished. "What?" Wiping off his hands, he reached into a nearby barrel and plucked out an apple. "Let's get you two acquainted then." He handed Carol the apple and she accepted it, turning it over in her hands. "Feed her that and she'll be your friend for life."

Carol turned to the horse, giggling when it inched closer, sniffing at the apple and nickering softly. She reached her hand out, but Daryl suddenly grabbed her wrist gently, pulling her hand away from the horse. He took her small hand in his and spread her fingers out flat, placing the apple in the center of her palm. The touch of his fingers against her skin was like nothing she had ever felt and she had a hard time controlling her breathing.

"Always keep your fingers down or else she could nip you. She don't mean to though so don't be scared." His voice was low and soothing with its rough cadence.

Still holding onto her hand, he guided it over the door of the stall and the horse plucked the apple from Carol's palm eagerly, her lips grazing Carol's skin. Daryl let go of her hand and Carol shivered from the sensations from the horse as well as Daryl as she dropped it back down to her side.

"What's her name?" Carol asked, noting that Daryl had said 'she'.

Daryl smirked, "Apple."

Carol paused and mulled that over, laughing softly. "That fits I suppose."

His smile was wide and lazy, transforming his face into a thing of even greater beauty with just the one smile. They stood there for a few moments and Carol felt a little awkward, not knowing what else to say at the moment. She had gotten so used to being quiet, to trying to fade into the background that now she just didn't know how to open up again.

"Maybe I can take you ridin' sometime," Daryl commented.

She lifted her eyes in surprise. "On a horse?"

He laughed, his eyes crinkling. "Unless you got a better idea of what to ride?"

Carol blushed beet red and opened her mouth to speak when Merle's voice interrupted them.

"Daryl! Christ brother! Been lookin' for ya. Got someone I want ya to meet," Merle said as he strolled into the stable, a man walking alongside of him.

Carol felt something wet touch her arm and she turned, laughing to herself when she saw Apple nudging her with her nose. She reached out and stroked the horse between the eyes, rubbing softly as she tried not to eavesdrop on the men.

"This here is Caesar Martinez, but he goes by Martinez," Merle said to Daryl, gesturing to the man next to him. "He comes highly recommended by a few people in town."

Daryl nodded to the man while sizing him up. "Daryl Dixon," he replied, shaking the hand that Martinez extended.

"Good to meet you man. I've been hearing that you two need some help out here. I've helped on a few other ranches before and I'm in desperate need of a job," he explained, glancing between both men. "I'm a hard worker and I get the job done."

Merle smacked Martinez on the back heartily, jarring the man forward a step or two with the force of it. "That's the shit we wanna hear, ain't it brother?"

Daryl nodded. "Could ya give us a minute? We'll discuss it and give you an answer," he said to Martinez.

Carol glanced in their direction, meeting Daryl's eyes before he and Merle stepped just outside of the stables. They were still within sight, but far enough away so that their conversation wouldn't be overheard.

She continued to stroke Apple, getting more familiar with her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Martinez looking at her and she shifted nervously when he began to head in her direction.

"How are you ma'am? I don't believe we've met. Martinez." He offered a bright smile, extending his hand to her.

Carol smiled softly, slipping her hand into his. His hand was warm, his grip light as he squeezed and released her hand.

"Carol."

"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Dixon," he said smoothly.

Carol's eyes widened and she shook her head quickly. "Oh...no I'm not- I mean, we're not-" She flushed as she stuttered over the words. "I just do the cooking. I'm not married."

Martinez studied her, his eyes twinkling with amusement. She took note of his khaki cargo pants and short sleeve black shirt. His skin was a smooth caramel color and she assumed he was of Hispanic origin which interested her. She had always enjoyed learning more about different people and their cultures. His chocolate brown eyes stared into hers and she cleared her throat, her eyes shifting over to the brothers. Daryl was still talking with Merle, but his attention was on her, his gaze directing back to his brother when their eyes met.

"Be still my heart, Miss Carol," Martinez said, attracting her attention back to him. "I do admire a woman that can cook. Maybe I'll get the job and get a chance to taste some of that cooking. Have you been here long?"

She wanted to laugh at that. She had barely been here a full day, but already it felt like she had been here for months. She felt comfortable here, the location and the people giving her an odd sense of peace.

She opted for a vague response instead, "I'm pretty new."

He nodded, leaning one hand lazily against the wooden wall. She resumed stroking Apple until the horse grew tired or distracted and wandered away from her touch.

"I think we've come to a decision." Daryl cleared his throat behind them, his eyes hard like steel as Martinez turned. "You can start tomorrow if you want it."

Martinez smiled brightly. "Absolutely! Thank you." He extended a hand to both of them as Merle walked up. "I appreciate you giving me a chance."

"Just don't make us regret it," Merle replied, his tone light, but firm.

...

Merle tossed another bale of hay into a corner of the barn, wiping at his sweat soaked forehead. It was hot as hell outside and he had been through countless bottles of water trying to stay hydrated. He looked around for his brother, but he didn't see him and he shook his head. He was probably somewhere near Carol, trying to make it look like he wasn't staring at the woman. Merle knew his brother well to know that Daryl was definitely interested in this woman even if he wouldn't admit it.

The sound of hooves galloping across the dirt made him turn and squint against the bright sun as a horse came to stop near him. Maggie Greene hopped off of her horse, grinning at him in that way she had. He shook his head.

He liked Maggie well enough. She was one of Hershel Greene's daughters and he had a deep respect for Hershel. Maggie didn't pay them visits too often though so this one was a surprise. He frowned at the thought that something might have happened to send her in their direction.

"Everythin' alright? Hershel?" Merle asked.

"Now Merle Dixon, would I be grinning if something bad had happened?" She planted her hands on her hips.

"Reckon not," Merle replied, letting his eyes travel over her outfit. Her jeans seemed to cling to her ass and her brown tank top seemed to showcase her cleavage for him. Cleavage that Merle hadn't ever noticed she had until now. Now he couldn't seem to drag his eyes away from it.

"It's so hot today." Maggie grimaced as she fanned her face with her cowboy hat, her brown hair looking slightly damp.

Merle grunted in reply, "Got that fuckin' right. Gonna start sweatin' out blood here soon. Ain't much else left," he muttered as he pulled off his gloves and took another drink of water. "Somethin' you needin'?" He prodded as he finished the bottle and sat down for a minute on an empty barrel.

Maggie shrugged. "Not really. Heard from Daddy that y'all are harborin' a fugitive and I wanted to meet her. Where is she?"

Merle snorted at her choice of words. "Likely wherever the hell my brother is. He can't seem to keep his eyes off of her."

"Merle Dixon, you're one to talk about keepin' your eyes off a woman," Maggie lilted, her eyes sweeping down his body in a look that made Merle's blood simmer.

Merle grinned, enjoying the banter. He kicked his legs up on the fence post. "No sugar, I reckon' you got me there." Licking his lips, he followed a bead of sweat down the column of her throat, watching her intently as she flushed. "I always did have me a sweet tooth."

.............


	6. Chapter 6

...

Carol sat on the porch of the big ranch house, swinging her legs in the gentle breeze that wafted through the air. It was late afternoon, dinner was over for the day and the boys done with most of their chores. Maggie had just left and Carol had hated to see the woman leave. It had been so long since she had enjoyed another woman's company and she was hoping that Maggie was someone she could be friends with. It was hard not to like the other woman, especially since Maggie had such an easygoing personality.

Her attention was drawn to the left and she watched as Daryl removed his gloves and hat, wiping at his brow as he took a long drink of water. Drawn to him, she stood and walked down the porch steps, walking in his direction. He glanced over at her as he capped the water bottle in his hands, his eyes watching her in that way that made her insides do a little dance.

"Hi," she smiled shyly at him.

He nodded to her. "Hey. Everything alright?"

That was another thing she liked about the Dixon brothers. No matter what she was doing on the ranch, they always managed to make her feel safe and secure without being overbearing. They never failed to ask her if things were going okay and she hadn't ever had that kind of thing in her life. She opened her mouth to respond to him when Merle's shout drew both of their attention.

"Daryl!"

Daryl's head whipped in Merle's direction, his hand raising to shade his eyes against the sun, "Yeah?" He shouted across the fence.

"Almond's fuckin' out again!"

Daryl huffed, walking closer to the fence in exasperation. "How she get out this time?"

Carol knew from watching the boys work and hearing some of their conversations that Almond was one of the other horses they kept on the ranch. From what she had been able to tell so far, Almond was a bit of a trouble maker, but the boys were determined not to give up on her.

"Fuckin' weak spot in the fence brother! Told ya that shit wasn't gonna hold," Merle called back.

"If it ain't one damn thing, it's another," he grumbled as he headed towards the barn.

Carol bit her lip, trying to decide what to do and if she could be of some use somewhere. She felt like she wasn't doing nearly enough even though she kept the house clean and the meals cooked. It wasn't a hard job by any means, but the brothers had done so much for her that she didn't think she would ever be able to repay them.

"Can I help?" Carol spoke out, causing Daryl to pause.

He glanced at her in surprise. "Yeah," He nodded, "Wanna take your second ride on a horse?"

Carol frowned, "But I haven't had my first."

He smirked. "Yeah you did. You just weren't coherent for the trip."

Carol blinked and then remembered how he had found her passed out from heat exhaustion and had carried her back to the house on his horse. She licked her lips nervously. "I'm not sure I can ride one on my own. I might hold up progress."

"Nah," he replied as he shoved a pair of gloves in his pocket. "You would be riding with me."

He cut his eyes to her again and Carol felt her skin burn hot at his words and gaze, but she nodded. "Okay."

She followed him around the fence, almost jogging to keep up with his ground eating stride. Curse words drifted over to them from Merle's mouth and Carol had to stifle a giggle that threatened to erupt as he said a few she was sure she hadn't ever heard in her lifetime. Daryl glanced at her and smiled, his smile cutting her to the core. They stopped near Merle whose expression was tense, unlike his usual playful demeanor Carol noticed.

"Gotta be fuckin' quick, brother. Storm's comin'," Merle said.

"Damn summer storms," Daryl muttered. "You got this?"

Merle nodded. "Go. You know how skittish she gets durin' the storms."

Daryl gripped his brother's shoulder briefly as he passed and Carol quickly fell into step beside him, keeping up this time as he grabbed a saddle and opened Apple's stall. Murmuring quietly to the horse, she watched as he ran his hand quickly across the horse's body, speaking in soothing tones. She was mesmerized by how smoothly he handled the large animal. It was majestic in a way.

"It's cute," Carol said, and he glanced her way.

"What's cute?" 

"How you talk to her. It's almost like you're prepping her for the ride."

He shrugged. "Kinda am. Don't usually saddle her, but with you riding it's different. You aren't used to riding bareback and she isn't used to carrying two people."

Daryl brushed past her and grabbed a coil of rope, attaching it to the saddle as he led the horse out of the stall and the barn. Once outside, he swung up onto the horse and then leaned, extending a hand to her. Taking a deep breath, she put her hand in his and let out a startled gasp as he effortlessly pulled her onto the horse, settling her onto the saddle in front of him.

She hadn't expected it to feel so...intimate and she was thankful that he couldn't see the way her face was burning. He slid his arms around her, his fingers grabbing onto the reins.

"Gonna take off kinda fast. Feel free to hold on if you need to," he murmured close to her ear and she gulped, nodding her head in confirmation.

Clucking his tongue, he urged the horse forward and Carol reached for the reins quicker than she had expected, her heart racing momentarily as the horse picked up speed. Her fingers brushed over Daryl's, but she had no other thoughts other than hanging on tight.

"Relax," his voice coaxed. They sped off across the ground, his chest brushing her back as his eyes scanned for the missing horse.

They fell into a steady pace and Carol finally felt her body relax some. After getting used to the feeling of moving so fast and being at the mercy of such a powerful animal, she began to enjoy herself a bit. The scenery was breathtaking with the mountains in the distance and the lush trees and grass all around them. Carol didn't think she had ever seen anything so beautiful. She could definitely see the appeal of living on a ranch an enjoying the lifestyle that it offered. It was something that she could envision for herself in the future if she could ever get on her own two feet again.

As they headed out further, the ranch so far away that it was no more than a speck in the distance, Carol began to feel other things. Like how good Daryl's body felt as it rocked and swayed with the horse against her small frame. He eased the horse to a slow trot and she heard him muttering to himself, his gaze on the ground beneath them.

"Damn. Where the hell is that horse? I see her tracks," he muttered as he pointed to the ground beneath them.

Carol leaned over to see, misjudging the distance as she felt herself begin to slip out of the saddle. Daryl's hands quickly righted her, the warmth of them traveling straight through her clothing.

"Careful," he murmured.

She cleared her throat, looking into the distance in an effort to distract herself. Something in the distance caught her eye and she shifted, catching Daryl's attention as she pointed in that direction.

"I think I might see her."

"Think you might be right," Daryl said as he urged Apple forward.

As they drew closer, Carol saw that she was right as the horse's lean frame became completely visible through the trees. Almond eyed them warily as she munched on the green grass, her tail swishing back and forth as she swatted flies from her body. Easing Apple to a stop several feet away, Daryl untied the rope from her saddle and slid off her back. Carol momentarily panicked at being left on the horse alone, but she swallowed it down, grasping the reins like a lifeline as she observed. Daryl made his way over to the horse carefully, his steps slow, but steady. The horse glanced at him again, nickering softly as it backed up a few steps.

"Easy, Almond." Daryl's voice was like roughened honey as he attempted to soothe the horse. "Gotta get you back home, girl."

Apple's body twitched beneath her thighs and Carol absently ran a hand over the horse's mane, giving her a slight scratch behind the ears. Carol watched as Daryl slowly slid the rope through his fingers, making himself a loop. Almond had stopped chewing now and she was just staring at Daryl as if she might make a run for it at any given moment.

Carol was grateful when Daryl slid the rope over the horse's neck, making sure that it wasn't too tight. He guided the horse back over to her and tied the end of the rope to Apple's saddle snugly. He took a moment to stroke both of the horses before turning his face towards the sky.

"Gotta hurry. Storm's gonna be here so-"

The loud crack of thunder shook the ground, startling animal and humans alike with its intensity. Almond let out a whinny and stomped her hooves, her eyes wild and frightened. Daryl grabbed Apple's saddle, quickly swinging his body back up before the horses could get out of hand. He directed them back towards the ranch, both horse's hooves thundering softly in time with each other.

"How come Apple's not scared of the thunder like Almond?" Carol asked curiously, turning her head slightly to peek up at him.

He tilted his head down at the same time, catching her off guard with how close they were. She could feel his breath fanning her cheek, the beat of his heart against her shoulder.

"I've spent a lot of time training Apple not to startle so easily. She's been through these storms before. She's of good breed and highly valuable around here.".

She knew she should turn away, but she didn't want to really so she continued to stare at him.

"It's amazing how much you care for her."

He shrugged, "There's not much difference between her and us in my eyes. She can't talk, but she finds ways to communicate with me. She's been the only woman in my life for so long."

Carol studied him, wondering if he was thinking about Bree. She still had yet to meet the woman and truth be told had forgotten entirely of her existence. She focused her body forward, pushing back all romantic thoughts of this man. He already had a woman in his life and she had no business coming between that. She couldn't help but wonder though, as they drew closer to the ranch, how close Daryl and Bree really were. She hadn't ever heard the woman's name on his lips since that first day. Surely he would talk about her if things were serious between them.

Letting out a sigh, she decided it didn't matter. His love life was of no concern to her and she needed to remember that she was here to do a job and nothing more.

...


	7. Chapter 7

...

"I know what you're thinkin' lil' brother," Merle drawled as he dipped a towel in a water trough before wiping it across his neck in an attempt to cool down.

Daryl shifted his eyes from the house, looking almost guilty that he had been caught looking at Carol's silhouette in the window.

"You don't know shit." He scowled.

Merle snorted, "I know ya got your sights set on lil' woman in there." He gestured with a nod towards the house.

Daryl hated that his brother could read him so well sometimes. It wasn't that he was infatuated with Carol or anything...hell he didn't even know all that much about her really. She was intriguing though, capturing his attention in a way that no one else had and holding it. Maybe it was because she seemed so oblivious to him, didn't push him or flirt with him like all the other women were prone to do.

He and Merle were considered eligible bachelors around these parts and there were constantly women trying to get to know them better. Daryl didn't buy it and for the most part he knew that Merle didn't either. Why would he want to be with someone who only wanted him for his money or looks? Maybe if he was a different sort of man then it wouldn't bother him, but he wasn't and it did.

Standing underneath one of the tall Oaks that populated the yard, Daryl caught sight of Martinez striding towards the house. He frowned as he watched the man tap once on the door and then slip inside to the kitchen. He grit his teeth, resisting the urge to head inside. It wasn't his business if the man had a thing for Carol. As long as he didn't hurt her and he still got his work done, then there wasn't much Daryl could do. She was free to date whomever she pleased, even if it did rub him the wrong way.

He quickly diverted his gaze, realizing with a start that he was still staring and Merle would soon catch on. He turned to focus on some other mindless task, mentally counting the minutes in his head that the other man was inside.

...

Carol slid out the last batch of homemade cookies from the oven setting them on cooling racks to cool. She fanned her face with the oven mitt, feeling flushed from being so close to the oven for a bit. She leaned against the sink and ran cold water from the tap, splashing some onto her face in an attempt to cool off faster. That was when she spotted Daryl across the yard, talking with Merle about something. She stared dreamily out of the window, taking the opportunity to study him without the chance at being caught. If ever she had had a cowboy fantasy, then that man was it. He was every bit a figure of pure male dominance. The sound of the screen door opening caught her off guard and she whirled around, forgetting for the moment that there was a new man around there now. Martinez.

He was nice enough, always polite to her the few times she had already talked to him at meals and he seemed genuinely interested in whatever she had to say. He had a way with words that seemed to draw a person in and she was learning that the man could literally talk for hours.

Her heart fluttered a bit at being alone with the man in the kitchen, but she tried not to let it show. She kept telling herself that she was going to get over this fear, that she was going to become strong and independent now that she was free of Ed. _Except you're not free. You're still married._ Her mind taunted her with the words and she pushed them from her mind, determining not to let it spoil her day.

Martinez removed his hat as he entered, smiling at her with his pearly white teeth. "Man it's hot out there," he commented.

Carol smiled at him politely, "I'm afraid it's not much better in here."

And it wasn't. The brothers didn't run the air conditioning too much unless it got too hot out. Most days she discovered that they left it off completely regardless of what the temperature was outside. They usually worked until dark anyway and by the time darkness fell, it usually got quite cool out. The inside of the ranch house wasn't too bad. She had fans going and the windows were up to circulate the air. It helped that there were lots of shady trees around the house as well.

"I'm going to have to disagree with you," Martinez said. "It's much better in here." He paused and seemed unsure about what to do. "I don't mean to be a bother, but I was wondering if you could spare a glass of iced tea? I would fix it myself, but I wouldn't want to mess up your floor." He gestured to his dirty boots.

Carol nodded, "Sure. It's no problem."

She crossed to the cabinet that contained the glasses and selected one for him, filling it to the brim with ice before pouring tea into it. He accepted the glass from her with a smile and a nod, tipping it up and practically drinking the whole thing in one gulp. Carol waited, figuring he would want another refill and when he brought the glass back down, she filled it back up.

He grinned at her. "Thank you."

She nodded in return, crossing back over to the fridge to return the tea. She could feel his eyes on her and she moved back over to the counter to check on her cookies while he worked on his second glass.

"Something sure smells good," he commented with a sniff.

"Chocolate chip cookies," she replied, gesturing to the cooling racks filled with them. "Merle mentioned them being his favorite and I've noticed he has quite the sweet tooth."

"That's awfully nice of you. Most people might not pick up on things like that and most wouldn't go the extra mile to make the cookies homemade instead of out of a box."

Carol blushed. "Well, I was taught to make things homemade. I've never used a box."

Martinez leaned against the wall near the door, seeming to make himself comfortable as he swirled the ice around in his glass.

"And you said you've never been married before?"

Carol paused in the act of scrubbing the cookie sheets clean, her body seeming to freeze at the question. She kept her gaze on the task at hand, wondering how to go about answering the man. She remembered telling the man the first time that she wasn't married and she wasn't quite sure how she had gotten by with that lie. Maybe it was because around here she didn't feel married anymore. It was almost as if Ed had never existed, some figment of her imagination that had given her nightmares of the course of the years.

She knew that at some point she should tell the brothers, but she wasn't exactly sure how to bring it up and she didn't see why it should matter anyhow. It wasn't as if Ed was going to come back for her. He had wanted to be rid of her since day one and she figured he was probably more than glad she was gone. If she was lucky, then maybe he would think she was dead.

"Carol?" Martinez's voice snapped her from her thoughts and she turned to him just as the door swung open.

Daryl stepped inside, saving her from having to answer, his eyes taking in the scene as his presence dominated the room. He was sweaty with his shirt sticking to his skin, but she was becoming used to seeing him in that condition. She didn't think she had seen him any other way since she had started actually. He seemed tense as he stood there, his eyes trailing across her with that familiar heat before switching his full gaze to Martinez.

"Soon as you get done with your break here, need you to bale some hay for me. Then we gotta work on getting them stalls cleaned out and put some fresh hay in," Daryl said, his voice low.

Martinez swallowed the last of his drink and Carol moved to collect the glass from him, but Daryl was faster. He took it from the other man's hand and passed it to Carol, his fingers brushing hers as she accepted it.

Martinez nodded to her, slipping his hat back on his head as he moved to the door. "Yes sir, you're the boss." He smiled and then glanced at Carol, his eyes staring straight into her as if he knew her secret. "Thank you for the tea, Carol."

He slipped out of the door, striding across the yard to do what needed to be done, leaving her standing in the kitchen with Daryl.

"Would you like something to drink?" 

He waved the offer away, moving to the refrigerator on his own to grab a bottle of ice cold water. She watched him press the bottle to his neck and forehead, rolling the cold plastic across his skin with a sigh. He paused, his gaze falling on the racks of cookies.

"You made cookies?" He raised a brow.

Carol nodded. "Chocolate chip. I heard Merle is a fan. I wanted it to be a surprise so I hope that's okay. I didn't know what you liked." She rambled on, wiping her hands on a dish towel.

He studied her, "I'm not a picky man."

His words seared straight through her soul and she nodded, the island in the middle of the kitchen being the only thing that separated them. Deciding that the cookies were cool, she began removing them from the rack and placing them into storage containers for later. She had just plucked the last cookie off of the rack when she felt him move closer. She fought the instinct to take a step backwards, reminding herself that it was only yesterday that she had been pressed up against this man on a horse in the middle of nowhere.

She stared down as his dirty boots came into her view, her gaze snapping to the container as he swiped a cookie, sticking the whole thing into his mouth at once. He closed his eyes as he chewed, sucking a bit of chocolate off of his thumb. She could only stand there and stare, knowing that she probably looked like an idiot, but not knowing how to remedy it.

"Christ, that was damn good," he said as he opened his eyes, blue eyes shining into hers. "Betty Crocker?" 

Carol smiled and shook her head, "Just Carol."

A smile teased his lips as they stared at one another and he reached for another cookie, stopping just before grabbing one. "May I?"

"Of course." She gestured to the container. "Take as many as you like. They're yours."

"Thought you made them for Merle?" He asked around a mouthful of cookie.

She was flustered, wondering how on earth this man managed to make her feel so out of sorts with just simple conversation.

"Not just for Merle. For you too," she explained.

"It's not every day I get fresh cookies. Having someone other than Merle's ugly ass in here making them is a bonus." He smiled as she covered her mouth to stifle her laughter.

He downed the last bit of his water with a smacking sigh and tossed the empty bottle in the trash as he headed for the door.

"Can't wait to tell Merle that you made his favorite cookie. Then I'm gonna tell him that Martinez ate them all." He winked at her as he stepped back outside, the screen door slamming shut behind him.

She smiled softly to herself, shaking her head in wonder as he made his way back over to his brother, his hand shooting out to knock the hat off of Merle's head. She laughed as she watched them roughhouse back and forth, their brotherly nature making her long for family of her own.

Impossible dreams they were. She wouldn't ever be able to have a family of her own without divorcing Ed and she wasn't about to alert the man of her presence and possibly have him disturb the brothers. She would just have to keep the fact that she was married a secret until she could figure out an alternative. Because there was no way she was putting the brothers in danger.

...


	8. Chapter 8

...

Merle guided Almond from her stall, rubbing a hand over her flank soothingly. Almond was still fairly new to them, boarded by them for the summer. Merle expected more horses to be arriving at any time to fill the empty stalls. Boarding was where he and his brother made a good portion of their profits. Merle had earned himself a reputation for being quite adept with horses and when he wasn't caring for them, he was busy working with them and training them. His area of expertise though was breaking the less tame horses, calming them down so that their owners could saddle them and ride.

It hadn't been his intention to deal with horses, but it had kind of fallen into his lap by accident. Owning a ranch wasn't cheap and he and his brother had researched different ways to keep themselves afloat. Merle had read book upon book about horses, studying them late into the night and even talking to other ranch owners. They had gotten Apple who had initially been intended for Merle, but the horse had ultimately taken up with Daryl.

Merle had learned the hard way that training a horse was no easy task, his first shot at it nearly causing him to be trampled when the horse had panicked. That's when Merle had taken a step back and began to rethink things. He talked to several people about it, watched different videos and then gave it another shot. It definitely wasn't a miracle overnight, but he began to see a difference. He changed the way he approached the horse and began to look at them as people instead of animals. Most of the horses, he learned, were a lot like him in a way - wild and untamed. He taught himself to get on their level and take cues from their behavior. That was when he started to make headway.

As he approached the gate so that Almond could graze in the pasture he heard a door slam. Looking up, he spotted Maggie Greene walking from her truck towards the house. He whistled at her and she paused, changing course as she spotted him. His eyes drank her in appreciatively, starting at her nicely tanned bare legs that were barely covered by a miniskirt he was quite sure he had never seen before. His mouth went dry at the sight and he ushered Almond through the gate gently, leaning against it as she approached. She smiled at him, her eyes drifting to the horse as she came to a stop beside him.

Merle sucked his teeth, smiling at her wickedly. "Damn darlin', where ya been keepin' them legs locked up?"

Instead of bantering with him though, Maggie frowned, reaching out to unlock the gate as she headed for Almond. Merle followed her, confused as to why she had ignored him.

"How long has she been limping?" Maggie asked as she ran her hand down one of Almond's legs.

Narrowing his eyes, Merle crouched next to her, examining the horse. He hadn't even noticed a limp, but then again he had been otherwise occupied. He cursed himself for his lack of attention.

Maggie lifted Almond's hoof, squinting down at it in concentration. "I'm no expert, but it looks like stone bruising to me. You should probably give my Daddy a call so that he can look at it proper." She stood up and brushed off her hands, patting the horse on the head with a smile.

Merle made a mental note to give Hershel a call as soon as possible, walking back outside of the gate with Maggie. She finally turned to him and graced him with a sultry smile that damn near hit him in the gut.

"Got big plans?" Merle asked, letting his eyes coast over her again.

Maggie raised her brows. "I'm goin' out tonight."

Merle felt his blood pressure rise slightly and he fought down the jealousy that threatened him. "Got a date, do ya?"

"Maybe," She fluttered her lashes at him and glanced towards the house. "Carol around?"

Merle scowled and gestured towards the house, his mood turning sour. "Where else would she be?" He grumbled.

Maggie smiled and raised on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek. "Thanks, Merle."

"Mhm," Merle sighed, walking away and muttering to himself as he pulled his cell out of his pocket.

...

"Hey you," Maggie said as she entered the kitchen, surprising Carol who hadn't heard her come up.

"Hi," Carol said brightly. "What brings you out?"

"Came to see you," Maggie said as she grabbed a glass and fixed herself some sweet tea.

Carol smiled, pleased that Maggie had dropped by to see her. She hadn't realized how much she had craved that connection with another woman...a friend to laugh with. She finished drying off the last dish from lunch and placed it into the cabinet.

"You look great," Carol said as she took in Maggie's outfit.

She was trying hard not to be jealous of the other woman, but it wasn't easy. She wished that she could wear something like that, but she was worried that she might look silly. She wasn't used to showing off her legs like that.

Maggie glanced down at her outfit. "Thanks. It feels good to wear something besides jeans for once." She laughed. "Anyways, the reason I came by is that I wanted to convince you to come out with me tonight."

"Oh?"

Maggie nodded, "There's a bar in town, not too far out and a lot of the locals go there on the weekends. I figured you could use a change of scenery."

Carol swallowed nervously. She wasn't sure about going to a bar. "I don't know..."

Maggie set down her glass and grabbed Carol's hand, her lips turning into a pout. "Please! I hate going alone and my sister is not legal to drink. Besides, I think you would have fun."

"I don't even have anything to wear," Carol protested.

Maggie grinned and shook her head. "I already took care of that. You and I are about the same size. I've got some stuff in the truck. No excuses!"

Carol sputtered, her brain trying to keep up with the other woman, "Wait! I can't just leave. I mean...this is my job and I'm supposed to be here to cook dinner."

"Take the night off."

Carol and Maggie both turned at the rough voice that drawled from the doorway of the kitchen to find Daryl observing their conversation quietly. Neither of them had even heard him approach and Carol wondered how long he had been there. She licked her lips nervously, not wanting to do anything to put her job in jeopardy.

"No, it's okay Daryl. I don't need a night off," Carol assured him.

He frowned and walked into the room, staring at her. "Don't be silly. Everybody needs a night off. Merle and I'll be fine. Too hot to eat much anyways."

Carol bit her lip. "If you're sure...?"

"Yeah. Have fun," He offered her a smile that made her heart flutter.

Before she could think about it further, Maggie was dragging her away to help find her an outfit to wear. She only hoped that the night wouldn't turn into a disaster.

...

Carol was sipping on her third drink, Maggie on her fifth and she wasn't having a bad time at all. Maggie was really funny when she drank unless it just seemed that way because Carol was feeling a bit tipsy. Actually, she felt more than a bit tipsy. Luckily, besides a few interested stares and a couple of dance requests, Carol hadn't had any trouble with the men inside the bar.

It wasn't at all the way she had pictured it to be. The men weren't mean drunks and the people there seemed in good spirits, all of them just looking to have a little fun. Carol was starting to feel some of her nervousness disappear and she was able to relax more, the alcohol more than likely having a good deal to do with it.

"Are you having fun?" Maggie asked over the loud beat of the music.

"Actually I am. I appreciate you asking me."

Maggie grinned. "Awesome! I knew you would and you look sexy to boot!"

Carol blushed, looking down at Maggie's outfit. It was nothing more than a black skirt with a navy blue top, but it was the sexiest thing she had worn in a long time. Thankfully, the skirt Maggie had brought for her was longer than the one she wore so Carol wasn't as self-conscious as she had initially thought she might be. It felt kind of good to have some attention on her, even if secretly she yearned for the attention of a rugged cowboy with broad shoulders and sinewy forearms.

"You should keep the outfit," Maggie said loudly. "The skirt is a little tight on me and it really does look good. It's almost like it was made for you."

"Are you sure? I don't want to take your clothes."

Maggie waved her away, "Nah. I got more." She laughed and then burped. Gasping in shock, she clapped a hand over her mouth and then the two women shared a laugh.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back," Carol said.

Maggie nodded to let her know she heard and Carol slipped off of her bar stool, making her way to the bathrooms. She slipped inside one of the stalls and did her business, staring at her reflection in the mirror as she washed her hands. She really did look different, she thought. It hadn't even been that long since she had stumbled onto the ranch...maybe two weeks she figured, but her cheeks already looked fuller and she could tell she was filling out some. This place really agreed with her and she sighed, resting her head against the mirror.

She knew she had to tell Daryl and his brother that she was married, but she was scared. She didn't know why she was scared, but she was. The part that scared her the most was that she was really falling in love with the ranch itself and she worried that she might have to leave for some reason. Not to mention her growing attraction for Daryl. He wasn't even available and she was lusting after him like some horny teenager. She wondered what he was doing right now. He was probably out on a date with Bree.

She looked up at her reflection again, seeing the jealousy in her own eyes. Bree was a lucky woman. She hadn't ever had anyone like Daryl in her life before, but she hoped that Bree appreciated him for who he was. He was so kind to her, both of the brothers were, but Merle didn't catch her attention like Daryl unfortunately. She was pretty sure Merle had a thing for Maggie though, judging from the looks the older brother had bestowed upon her new friend. Shaking her head to rid herself of any negativity, Carol pulled open the door and stepped out.

That was when she saw him. He hadn't changed at all in two weeks, but she hadn't figured that he would. She stood there frozen as he brushed past her, not even looking in her direction as he headed for the men's room.

Carol placed one hand against the wall, her mind spinning. She took several deep breaths, forcing her feet to carry her back to the bar. She had to get out of there. Right now. She couldn't be seen...not now. Not when everything was going so great.

She was shocked to see the brothers talking to Maggie when she made it back to the bar and Merle nodded to her in greeting, leaning to whisper something to Maggie. Carol's eyes connected with Daryl and she forced a smile she didn't really feel to her face. He smiled back, but then frowned as his eyes studied her.

Carol grabbed Maggie's arm. "Maggie. I need to get back. Can you take me back?"

Maggie glanced at her in surprise. "I'm not sure I'm in the best shape to drive. Are you okay?"

Carol shook her head, glancing behind her towards the bathrooms. "No."

Her mouth felt dry and she licked her lips as a hand grabbed her elbow, steadying her as she took a step towards the door. She glanced up into Daryl's face, his features twisted in concern.

"You okay?"

Carol grasped at his arm. "Can you take me back? Please," she begged. "I feel sick."

He stared at her a moment longer and then he nodded, throwing a glance in Merle's direction. "Merle. Gonna run Carol back to the ranch. Want me to come back for you?"

"Nah brother. I'll find my own way home," Merle responded, his eyes still glued to Maggie.

Daryl wrapped a strong arm around her waist, guiding her towards the door. Carol felt the tightness in her chest loosen some once they were outside and she couldn't stop her eyes from scanning the parking lot for Ed's car. She didn't see it, but that didn't mean anything either. She hadn't known that seeing him was going to affect her so harshly. Even her hands were shaking as she reached for the handle of the truck.

Daryl reached around her and opened the door, lifting her up and into the seat before she could make a noise. He opened the driver's side door and climbed inside, shooting her another look before cranking the truck. He rolled down the window and she breathed in the night air, her stomach rolling.

"If you feel sick then stick your head out and let it fly. Best way to get rid of that shit," he commented.

Carol stared at him blankly and then realized that he thought she was feeling sick from all of the alcohol. That might very well be having its affect on her, but she was sure it had more to do with Ed than anything else. She felt light headed, her vision blurring and she squinted, feeling very ill.

"Ed," she mumbled.

She thought she heard Daryl's voice, but he sounded far away, in a tunnel maybe. He placed one hand on her forehead and that was the last thing she registered before she passed out.

...


	9. Chapter 9

...

Carol awoke in her own bed, disoriented and incredibly thirsty. Swinging her legs onto the side of the bed she jumped when a loud crack of thunder rumbled throughout the house. Opening the door to her bedroom, she listened for anyone else, but heard only silence. Rubbing her eyes, she headed across the house to the kitchen. The sound of the thunder seemed louder and she could almost feel the earth shaking with the loud cracks that ensued. She reached for a glass and headed for the fridge to fix herself a drink.

Lightning flashed, enveloping the kitchen in pale light and Carol gasped as Daryl stepped in from the hallway. His hair was rumpled from sleeping, but it was the way he was dressed that had her breath catching. He was shirtless, the moonlight streaming through the window and illuminating him like some kind of dark and fallen angel. Her eyes swept across his tanned chest down to his taut, rigid, belly. He wore a pair of grey jogging pants that were loosely tied, slung low across his hips and grazing the tops of his bare feet. He pinned her with a stare so primal that she felt the heat sear her from head to toe.

"You startled me," she whispered.

"What are you doin' up?" He leaned against the doorway, watching her, his voice rough and laced with sleep.

"The storm woke me. I was thirsty."

She opened the fridge door and the light spilled out casting a glow over his figure. She reached for the pitcher of water and filled her glass, taking a long sip of the cool liquid. Shutting the door behind her she jumped when Daryl's face loomed near hers. Outside the storm raged onward, the rain pelting against the roof with a thunderous rhythm.

"Jumpy?" He whispered.

She nodded, swallowing hard. "Slightly. I never did care for storms much."

Placing her now empty glass on the counter, she stood there somewhat awkwardly. She didn't know what to do or why he was still there watching her. He seemed to be studying her curiously. She wasn't sure because it was dark and hard to tell. Trying to keep occupied, she picked up her glass and began rinsing it out. She wasn't too sure she could go back to sleep now anyway.

"Who's Ed?"

The question caught Carol off guard and she dropped the glass into the sink, pieces shattering everywhere. Cursing under her breath, she reached for it and then hissed when she felt the sting of one of the pieces slicing her hand. Light flooded the room and then Daryl was beside her in seconds, reaching for her hand as she bit her lip at the sight of blood.

He turned on the faucet and stuck her hand under the water, his expression hard and intense. "You can't go sticking your hand into a sink full of broken glass especially in the dark," he chastised.

Carol hissed when he turned her hand over and he pulled it closer to his face, inspecting it. He plucked out a small piece of glass that had gotten embedded into her hand. Her stomach felt a little queasy and when he pulled her gently across the kitchen to a drawer that held first-aid supplies she went willingly. He grabbed her other hand and pressed it over the seeping cut.

"Apply pressure and hold it up."

Carol nodded, grimly pressing her fingers against the cut. He flipped open the box and began shuffling through the contents, pulling out gauze, cream, and tape. Without warning, he grabbed her hips and lifted her onto the counter so that her hand was eye level with him.

She became distracted by him and his scent immediately as he grabbed her hand again. With his head bent forward she could smell him and if she leaned just a bit, his hair would tickle her nose. He was concentrating so intensely on the wound that she was able to stare at him freely. His cheeks were covered in a light shadow of beard and she resisted the urge to run her hand over his face. The man smelled and looked delicious and once again she felt that familiar heat tug at her. It was depressing, being so close to this man and knowing that she couldn't have him. He was with someone else and she wouldn't jeopardize that.

"There. That should do it," he interrupted her thoughts as he put everything back into the box. His eyes lifted to hers, "Didn't mean to startle you like that."

Carol's breath hitched with him so close. "It's okay," she whispered in reply.

She watched a lock of his hair fall across his forehead and into his eyes. Smiling softly, she reached out and swept it away without thinking, her fingers freezing halfway through the act. She pulled them back quickly, too quickly, but his eyes had darkened considerably.

His lips were on hers in an instant, her head banging into the cabinet behind her. Her thoughts were scattered and she could think of nothing but how it felt to finally kiss this man. She opened to him immediately, moaning as his tongue slipped into her mouth. His hands rested on her thighs and she could feel the heat from his skin even through her clothing. She wanted more and she leaned forward, wanting to touch him. The fingers of her uninjured hand slid through his hair and she reveled in the feeling of finally being able to rake her fingers through his wisps. He groaned into her mouth, the sound vibrating within her own body and she shivered at the feelings that he induced in her.

Lightning flashed outside, temporarily lighting up the room even as thunder then boomed, plunging them into darkness as the power went out. Carol jerked back from him, her fingers gripping his biceps as she realized what had just occurred between them. She had just kissed a man who was in a relationship and it wasn't with her.

What kind of person did that make her?

"It's alright. Happens all the time out here," his husky voice washed over her. Carol thought he was referring to the power outage, but she wasn't too sure.

She slowly released his arms and slid forward, sliding down from the counter. She ignored the way her body felt as it rubbed against his when she slid down. She also ignored the way his breath caught in his throat when she brushed past him, bumping into the kitchen table softly with her foot.

"I...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," she apologized as she felt her way through the darkness. She felt like the world's biggest idiot. If his girlfriend ever found out then she would have a lot of explaining to do. She was mortified.

"Carol," his voice called after her, but she ignored him, all but running back to her room in her haste to get away. She managed to make it into her room as the flashes of light intermittently lit up the house long enough for her to see where she was going. She escaped inside and shut the door, leaning back against it as she fought down feelings that threatened to overwhelm her.

Her breath hitched as hot tears spilled down her cheeks. God had to be punishing her by placing her in Daryl's life knowing that she couldn't have him. Her body yearned for him though, yearned for the gentleness and desire that she had never had. Especially after that kiss. He was so perfect and so... _off limits_. Her body shuddered as the tears continued to flow.

She paused when she heard his footsteps in the hallway, barely audible. She could somehow sense him there, standing just on the other side of her door. She held her breath and waited, one palm pressed against the door. After a few moments, she thought she heard him walk away. Silently she opened the door and peered out to find an empty hallway. Closing it back, she walked over to the window, hugging herself as she stared out.

She really hoped that this didn't cost her the job. She would have to apologize to him again tomorrow. She shouldn't have ever let things get that out of hand. Him asking about Ed had shaken her. She couldn't understand why he had asked and how he had known Ed. Did he already know who Ed was? Was he just testing her to see if she told him the truth?

But he had kissed her back. His tongue had worked its way into her mouth...she had felt it. What did it all mean?

She groaned as a thought occurred to her then. What if she had said something to Daryl last night? She remembered most of the evening, but things got blurry after they were in his truck. She knew that she had consumed more alcohol than her body was used to. She wasn't a drinker. At some point she must have passed out. That meant he had to have carried her inside and put her to bed. She flushed at the thought.

She was still wearing the clothing that she had worn to the bar minus her shoes of course. She walked over to the dresser and felt around for her pajamas, staring down in the dark at her meager wardrobe. She was feeling sorry for herself and she sighed as she changed her clothes. She knew what she needed to do.

First thing tomorrow, she would find Daryl and she would apologize again for tonight. Then she would tell him everything about Ed and her past. He deserved to know especially since she had seen Ed at that bar. _What if Ed came here?_

She shivered at the thought.

No, he needed to be told and the sooner the better. The last thing she needed was for Ed to show up and the two men to be blindsided.

The rain outside slowed and the power flickered back on, the lamp coming to life beside her bed. She crawled under the covers and lay there, the bed swallowing her tiny frame. She stared at the walls until her eyelids began to droop and she finally drifted off to sleep.

...


	10. Chapter 10

...

The smell of coffee woke Daryl from a restless sleep and he rubbed his eyes wearily as he got himself dressed for the day. He had all intentions of trying to avoid Carol if possible, but the urge for coffee was strong and more than likely he was going to find Carol in the kitchen.

He had lain awake all night thinking about that kiss and what it meant. He couldn't figure out why she had apologized for it. The fact that the mere mention of the name Ed had startled her so plagued him and left him trying to figure out who Ed might be.

He knew he should apologize for overstepping his boundaries with her, but he wasn't sure how to broach the conversation. He wasn't really any good at talking to people and that's why Merle handled most of that. His brother had never had a problem speaking, it was getting him to shut up that was tricky.

Passing by his brother's room, he saw that the door was open and the room was empty which surprised him. Most times he was usually the one up before Merle, but that appeared not to be the case this morning. He rounded the corner into the kitchen lightly, mentally preparing himself for a little awkwardness.

Except the kitchen was empty.

Daryl frowned and then shrugged as he walked over to the coffeemaker. Maybe he would have time to get some caffeine into his system before he had to figure out what to say to Carol. He knew what he would like to _do_ to her, but _talking_? That was a tough one.

He poured himself a cup of coffee and stared out of the window above the sink, his eyes landing on his brother and Martinez talking. He blinked in surprise at the appearance of another horse inside of the corral. That explained his brother's early morning. Someone must have brought a horse by and from the looks of it, Daryl could see that this one was going to give Merle a run for his money. He chuckled to himself over the rim of his coffee cup.

"Morning."

Daryl jumped, hot coffee sloshing over the cup's edge and scorching his fingers, "Fuck!"

He set the mug to the side with a hiss, almost missing the way that Carol cringed when he raised his voice. Switching on the cold water at the sink, Daryl stuck his fingers beneath it, nearly sighing in relief when it momentarily soothed the burn. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Carol begin to slink out of the kitchen.

"Wait!" He switched off the water and then groaned when his skin began to throb. His skin was going to bubble like a bitch later. "Don't leave. I...I need to talk to you."

Carol paused just inside of the doorway and he could see the tension in her even from across the room. She slowly turned and lifted her eyes to his, giving him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Oh?"

He leaned against the sink, chewing on his bottom lip as he watched her. She fluttered about the kitchen almost nervously and he hated like hell to think that he might be the reason for it. He shouldn't have ever kissed her. Dammit.

"Listen...last night - I shouldn't have kissed you like that. It wasn't my place," he said.

"It's okay," she offered. "No harm done, right?" She smiled again.

He walked over to her and touched her arm, a purely innocent gesture that made her go rigid seconds before she let herself relax.

"I don't know. You tell me. Everything alright?"

She wouldn't meet his eyes again and he wanted to shake her. Then he wanted to pin her against the wall and run his hands all over her body. His mouth too. He swallowed over a dry throat as the images ran through his head.

"Everything's okay," she said, interrupting him. "I'm sorry I ran out last night. I...I'm sorry," she offered again.

"And I'm sorry if I offended you in any way."

"Offended?" She frowned in confusion.

He nodded, moving back over to his coffee and taking a sip, "Yeah. When I mentioned Ed...it really wasn't none of my business."

Carol's face paled and she twisted the hem of her shirt in her hands. "Daryl, I really need to te-"

The frantic yell that could only come from a person in pain drifted through the kitchen window, giving them both pause. Every muscle in Daryl's body went rigid as his mind registered the sound.

_Merle._

...

Carol hadn't seen Daryl move quite that fast since the day she had arrived at the ranch. His face had changed from serious to ashen in a manner of seconds as he bolted for the door. Carol followed along behind him, her heart racing. She saw Martinez's head over the top of the fence and then Daryl was unlatching the gate and bending down to help the man with something. Her heart leaped into her throat when she saw that they were dragging someone.

_Merle._

Before she could go much further, Daryl was yelling for her to grab the truck keys from the peg by the back door. She did an abrupt turn, scrambling back for the keys and nearly dropping them in her haste to get back to the men. She could hardly breathe as she approached them, the keys gripped tightly in her hand. Then she heard Merle cursing amidst groans and she had never been so glad to hear his voice in all her life. Daryl and Martinez were lifting him onto the bed of the truck as carefully as possible.

She stood by, unsure of what to do or how to help as the two men worked to get him situated. Daryl finally seemed to notice that she had made it back and when their eyes met she could read the tension all over his face.

"Think you can drive us to the hospital?" Daryl directed his question at Martinez. Martinez nodded and Carol gratefully passed over the keys. Daryl turned to her next, "You mind riding along? I might need your help keeping him steady."

Carol nodded eagerly. "Of course. I'll help in any way that I can."

He walked to the end of the truck's bed and held out a hand to help her onto the back of the truck. Martinez closed the tailgate and climbed inside of the driver's seat while they situated themselves in the back. Merle's eyes were closed, but Carol could see how badly he was sweating and how pale he was. He kept one hand near his leg, but the only thing Carol could see was dirt covering his jeans.

While Daryl shuffled around Merle's leg, Carol sat down near his head and jumped when he cracked open one eye and pinned her with his Dixon stare.

"Hurt woman here darlin'. Your lap sure would make a good pillow," he drawled in a soft voice.

Carol immediately scooted over and lifted his head, placing it into her lap. She liked Merle a lot and even though he was brash more times than not, he was still a very good man and she hated to see him in pain like this. Without giving it much thought, she began to stroke her fingers over his head in a soothing gesture. He moaned and Daryl glanced their direction, rolling his eyes at his brother.

"Shove it brother. I'm in goddamn pain here," Merle muttered.

"You couldn't have used anything else as a pillow?" Daryl griped as he gently rolled up Merle's pants leg.

Merle winced and then sighed deeply, his eyes staring up at her. He winked and the action made Carol smile softly. She felt better knowing that Merle could still joke around a little. That meant that he wasn't dying...at least not right this moment anyway.

"Ain't nothing like bein' between a woman's legs brother. Some awesome healin' powers there."

...

It took several hours before Carol heard any word about Merle's condition. She had been falling asleep with her head resting against the wall in the waiting room, Martinez several chairs down from her reading a magazine when Daryl came into the room. She immediately opened her eyes and stared at him. He looked a little rough, probably from worrying, but other than that he seemed okay.

"How is he?" 

He took a seat between them and sighed, "His leg is broken below the knee. Luckily for him, it was a clean break and nothing shattered. They're getting him fitted for a cast now and then they're gonna keep him overnight to monitor his pain and shit."

"How did he break his leg?" Carol asked.

"It was that horse that was brought by this morning. A man talked to Merle about wanting to train it, said he wanted to be able to ride it. I was getting one of the stalls ready while Merle was getting to know the horse a little. That horse is evil man. Kicked the shit out of Merle," Martinez explained.

Daryl frowned, "This isn't Merle's first time with an unpredictable horse though. That doesn't sound like him."

"That woman's got his brain distracted. He's falling hard," Martinez chuckled.

Carol gasped. "Maggie?"

Martinez nodded, "Mhm. He was griping about her all morning, trying to act like he doesn't care, but it's obvious that he does. You can see it in his eyes. It's hard for men to concentrate when a beautiful woman has caught their attention." Martinez lifted his eyes to hers pointedly and she felt her whole body flush as she averted her gaze.

Daryl cleared his throat, leaning forward in his chair and blocking Martinez's view. "There's nothing more we can do here for now. Best be getting on back to the ranch. With Merle being out of work for a while it's gonna put us behind." His voice was short and clipped, his jaw held rigid as he stood.

Carol stood and they all headed to the truck. As Daryl unlocked the vehicle, it became clear to Carol that they would all be riding inside of the cab on the way back. That meant that she would be sandwiched between Daryl and Martinez, a thought that hadn't occurred to her until right at that moment. Martinez opened the passenger side door and she climbed into the cab, feeling his hand brush across her elbow to guide her.

Daryl was already seated in the driver's seat, his movements stiff as he cranked the truck, his eyes focused straight ahead. She worried for him, knowing that this was going to put more of a burden on him with Merle being out of commission. She would figure out a way to pitch in more around the ranch to help out any way that she could.

She was forced to straddle the gear stick that rested in the middle of the floorboard, one thigh of each man brushing against each of her legs. She was acutely aware of both of them, more so than she had ever been aware of any man in her entire life.

They pulled out of the parking lot and Daryl shifted gears, his arm brushing the top of her thigh. She stared down at his arm, the veins prominent as he gripped the knob tightly, his knuckles almost white. When he shifted downward, she had to swallow hard at how close he came to touching her between the legs. Carol held her breath, but he never touched her, not even once. She wasn't sure if she was disappointed or relieved by that fact. She wasn't really sure of much of anything anymore except that she had the biggest crush on Daryl Dixon. And that was a problem that she couldn't afford to have for a variety of reasons.

...


	11. Chapter 11

..........

Carol braced her hands against the dash of the truck as Daryl jerked the truck to a stop back at the ranch. She felt Martinez's hand curve against her shoulder, doing his best to keep her from smacking against the dash. Daryl was out of the truck, his long angry strides eating up the dirt as he stalked towards the barn. Carol exchanged a glance with Martinez who was looking every bit as baffled as she. Neither of them had seen Daryl this worked up before and without Merle here, neither of them knew quite what to make of it.

Martinez was the first to move, opening the passenger door and clearing his throat. "I better go see what I can do to help him before it gets late. He's likely to work himself into the dirt."

Carol nodded, accepting his offered hand to help her from the truck. He tipped his hat at her before striding off in the same direction that Daryl had just gone. Carol shut the truck door and stood there for several seconds, not really knowing what her place was at the moment. A glance at her watch told her that it was close to dinnertime and despite Merle being in the hospital, they would still need to eat.

She entered the house and began rifling through the fridge for something to cook for dinner. She finally settled on spaghetti with a fresh tossed salad to accompany it and she set to work preparing it. Several times she glanced out of the window, her eyes skirting the property for Daryl, but she saw Martinez only. It made her nervous in a way that she couldn't quite describe with words.

She took her time preparing the meal, but she could only drag it out for so long before it was finished. She set the table and then wiped her hands on a clean dish towel before resigning herself to head outside and call the two men inside. She was headed that direction when the door opened and Martinez stepped inside. He glanced at her in surprise, clearly not expecting her to be heading outside.

"Daryl?" She questioned.

He offered her a shrug and a small smile, "He...he's going to be a bit."

Carol nodded, the ache in her gut increasing. She really needed to talk to him, but now she wasn't sure quite how to go about it. With his brother being in the hospital, was it really the right time to tell him that she was married? She sighed deeply, moving to grab the pitcher of tea and pour Martinez a glass. He thanked her with a nod of his head, placing his hat on his thigh as he began to serve himself some food.

"You should sit." He gestured to the chair next to him.

Carol moved to the chair and served herself a small portion of food, her brain not really into the task. It felt awkward with just the two of them eating alone, almost like a date. Except she wasn't interested in Martinez in that way. He was a very handsome man, but he didn't make her heart flutter with his heart stopping stares. Not like Daryl. She closed her eyes briefly.

"Are you alright?" Martinez touched her hand and her eyes flew open.

She pulled her hand away with a strained smile. "Fine, thanks."

He watched her for several more minutes before he began eating again, his eyes still occasionally drifting to hers. "You don't seem alright."

"I'm just worried about Merle."

"And Daryl?" He prodded gently.

She blushed despite her best efforts. How could she possibly conceal her feelings about this man who was still virtually a stranger to her in so many ways?

"And Daryl," she admitted.

He nodded as if he had known that simple fact all along and it made her wonder just how transparent she really was when it came to her emotions. Did Daryl know she felt something for him?

"So when are you going to tell him?"

Carol's head snapped up and she frowned at Martinez, "Tell him what?"

He took a bite of salad, chewing thoughtfully, "That you're married."

Carol froze, her face paling as her breath caught in her throat. How did he know? Did he know Ed? The thought nearly sent her flying from her chair, but her curiosity won over in the end and she stayed.

"How do you know?" She asked softly.

He cleared his throat and shifted in his chair, leaning back to look at her full force. There was no anger or hostility in his expression, merely concern and Carol wasn't sure what to do with that. Not many people had ever been concerned for her before.

"How old are you Carol?" He asked in a soft tone.

"Twenty-six."

"So young," he murmured. "What did this man do to you?"

Carol's eyes widened. She didn't like that this man could read her so well. "You didn't answer my question," she replied. "How did you know I'm married?"

"So you are married?" He gestured to her left hand and she blinked, following his gaze. That was when she saw it. The tan lines around her ring finger, a clear indicator that she had once worn a ring.

"But just because I wore a ring there doesn't mean I was married."

He shrugged. "I took a shot in the dark. The last time I asked you, your face turned the same shade of pale like you had seen a ghost. Then there's the fact that every time a man gets close to you, you flinch. That tells me that someone hurt you very badly."

Carol exhaled, blowing out a shaky breath. "You're very intuitive."

"I had a sister," he said softly. He stared off in the distance, his eyes focused on the kitchen wall, but his thoughts somewhere entirely different. "She was a lot like you in the way that she acted. Gabriella was married to a tyrant of a man named Juan. He swept her off of her feet... pulled the wool over our whole family. It looked like love and I was happy for her. As it turns out, Juan only loved one thing: alcohol. It began with hurtful words and she would call me, upset about it. I would try and calm her down, feeling guilty that I couldn't travel to see her because they had moved out of state. I urged her to persuade them to see someone and try to work it out..." His eyes were glassy and Carol felt a lump grow in her throat, her breath held as she waited for him to finish. "Our family didn't believe in divorce, you see. I didn't hear back from her for a while, a month maybe and then I got the phone call. They had an argument one night and he stormed out, drunk and angry. She followed him because she still loved him despite everything that bastard did to her. She jumped in the car with him and they argued as he drove..." Martinez closed his eyes, drawing in a shuddering breath. "They ran off of the road and hit a ditch, flipping the car and killing them both instantly."

"Oh my God," Carol gasped, her hand reaching out to cover his. Her heart was breaking for this poor man and how he must have suffered over the loss of his sister.

Martinez covered her fingers with his own, his chest heaving as he fought down various emotions. Finally he looked at her with watery eyes. "If this man hurt you, then he doesn't deserve you. Don't let him control you Carol. There are better men out there." His gaze slid to the window and she knew that he was referring to Daryl.

"Martinez." Daryl's voice caught them both off guard and they whirled in his direction. Carol pulled her hand back to her lap, her cheeks red even though the touch had been purely innocent. Daryl's eyes swung between the two of them, hard and glittering with emotions that she couldn't read. "Need you to do one last round before calling it a night. We start early in the morning."

Martinez nodded, rising from his chair. "On it boss." He spared her a meaningful glance before slipping out of the door and into the evening air.

Carol was left alone with Daryl and this time there would be no interruptions. Except judging from the anger and heat radiating from his body, she was beginning to wonder if she wouldn't rather be outside with the horses.

...

Daryl was seething inside and physically exhausted. Despite having pushed himself far harder than necessary the past few hours he had been home, he was still a bundle of nerves and emotions. Seeing his brother getting hurt like that had scared him, plain and simple. Even though Merle was technically okay, he still felt guilty over it. If he hadn't spent half the previous night with an erection and thinking about Carol, then he might not have overslept. He could have been out there with Merle and possibly prevented that accident from happening. It was all his fault. He was supposed to have his brother's back like Merle had his. That was the way they operated and Daryl hadn't been holding his end.

Now here he was having feelings for this woman that he knew near next to nothing about. Of course, she wouldn't have those same feelings back for him judging by the way she had been holding Martinez's hand when he had first walked in unnoticed by either of them. He wondered if he hadn't entered, would they have been kissing too? Would she kiss Martinez like she had kissed him? It made his blood boil with jealousy that he had no right to be feeling.

Merle was right, he thought, as he moved to wash his hands at the kitchen sink. Daryl was thirty-one years old and he wasn't getting any younger. It was time to seriously start thinking about settling down, maybe starting a family. He had always wanted kids of his own. The only problem was that there had been no woman to strike his interest...until Carol.

He couldn't quite explain it, but she set his blood on fire and made him want to do things he had only ever dreamed about doing. Sometimes he thought it odd how she had just shown up one day, almost as if it was meant to be. Then there was the way that she responded to his kisses. He was getting hard just thinking about it. Swearing under his breath, he turned off the water and dried his hands on a towel.

She stood up as he approached the table, looking every bit as torn as he was sure that he appeared as well. It was in that moment that things clicked for him. He was jealous of whatever she had going on with Martinez. He couldn't understand why she was drawn to the other man unless she was scared of him. He froze, wondering if that were the case. He thought back to their other encounters and the way she always seemed so jumpy.

Carol reached out, her fingers brushing across the dirt and sweat covering his shirt. "Daryl."

His eyes swept up, meeting her gaze as he let all of the hunger and fire he had for her sweep through him. He covered her hand with his own and pulled her forward until she was flush against his chest, dirt be damned. Her lips parted on a gasp, a bit of sauce glistening in the corner of her mouth. He focused on that, bringing his head down to hers so that he could lick it from her skin. She moaned softly, her eyes closing for a fraction of a second. He saw his opportunity and covered her mouth with his own, wanting to feel that fire again that he had felt from her before.

She yielded to him immediately, his mouth swallowing her moans as he drank of her. His hands found their way around her waist and he supported her when her knees began to go weak from the kisses. Walking them backwards, he pinned her against the wall, his mouth moving to her neck. Her fingers curled into his shirt, gripping it tightly before she began pushing him away. He instantly backed away, giving her space, his breathing heavy.

"Daryl wait," she panted. "There's something I need to tell you before this goes any farther."

He growled under his breath, "This is about Martinez, isn't it? You got feelings for him?"

She frowned, blinking at him in confusion. "What? No-"

"He kiss you like I do?" Daryl snarled, knowing that he was being irrational, but unable to help himself.

Her face paled, "No, we haven't kissed. I don't have any feelings for Martinez it-"

"You sure could have fooled me!" He yelled as his mind desperately tried to keep up, trying to figure out where she was heading with this. He kept seeing them touching at the table when he had walked inside.

"Stop!" Carol yelled suddenly. "Just please, stop. Listen to me," she pleaded. "I feel nothing for Martinez. I...I feel things for you," she whispered.

He swallowed, sensing a 'but' coming on. He simply waited, steeling himself for whatever she was about to say. What could be so important that she kept pulling away if she had feelings for him?

She wrung her hands together nervously. "That day you found me...I was running away from someone." She licked her lips nervously. "Daryl, I'm married," she blurted. "I was running from my husband. He forced me from the car and left me to fend for myself beside the road."

The room was deathly silent, not a sound could be heard from anywhere as she waited. This was the calm before the storm and she was scared of how he might react. Would he hit her like Ed had been prone to do? She steeled herself for anything. Finally she chanced a look at him and saw that his face was strangely blank, his eyes seeming to stare through her.

Without a word, he turned on his heel and headed for the door. Panicking, Carol ran to him, grabbing his arm just as he jerked the door open.

"Daryl, wait!"

He paused, his body rigid, "You didn't think this important enough to tell me until now? You let me _kiss_ you," he said through clenched teeth.

Carol felt anger surge through her then. How dare he try to blame this all on her when he was seeing Bree? Wanting to lash back at him, she threw that in his face.

"Like you're completely innocent? What about Bree?" He blinked at her in surprise, but she kept going. "All this time you've been dating her and kissing me in your kitchen? What kind of man does that make you?" She knew she was being childish and irrational, but she couldn't stop.

He pulled his arm free from her grasp, his jaw twitching as he paused in the doorway. "A stupid one, apparently."

With that being said he walked out, slamming the door closed behind him. The silence echoed throughout the house, echoing through her very soul.

...


	12. Chapter 12

...

"Merle Dixon!" Maggie squealed as Merle palmed her breast, pretending to fumble with his crutches.

"I'm a hurt man darlin'. These damn crutches are hard to maneuver. Give a man a break," he drawled.

She affixed him with a mock glare. "The only reason I'm not laying you on your ass is because I feel bad for you."

He frowned, "Don't need nobody feelin' bad for me. Ain't an invalid, just got a broke leg." He paused and spared her a teasing glance, "Can think of some ways you could make it feel better though." He winked.

She laughed despite herself, "Come on Romeo, let's get you in the house. You're on way too many pain meds to be thinkin' clearly."

He waggled his eyebrows, "Don't need to be thinkin' clearly to do the things I wanna do sugar."

Maggie shook her head and climbed the porch steps, turning around at the top to make sure he was able to climb them. She sighed in annoyance when she saw him hobbling out towards the barn.

"Merle Dixon!" She shouted in annoyance. "You're supposed to be resting!"

"I'll rest when I'm dead sugar tits," he called over his shoulder. "Gotta find my brother." Maggie sighed, turning and following along behind the stubborn man. As much as she wanted to strangle him, she wouldn't chance him going off alone and falling.

Daryl poked his head out from the barn and furrowed his brows when he saw Merle approaching with Maggie trailing along behind him. He glanced down at his watch and then his cell, wondering if he had missed Merle's phone call.

"Why didn't you call me? I would have come and got you," Daryl said.

"Knew ya was busy so I got sugar tits here to bring me home," Merle replied with a grin.

The relief Daryl felt at seeing his brother was evident and he smiled at the way his brother swayed on the crutches a bit. It was clear that Merle was still feeling the effects of whatever drug he had been dosed with in the hospital.

"I'm sorry, Daryl. I would have called, but this one had my hands full," Maggie said with a glance at Merle. "I stopped by the pharmacy and got his meds filled. I'll leave it with Carol before I go."

"Go?" Merle huffed. "Who's gonna take care of me if ya leave?"

Maggie braced her hands on her hips and leveled him with a look. "Weren't you just telling me that you weren't an invalid?"

"Ya can't be listening to me darlin'. All these drugs they gave me ain't got me thinkin' clear. Gonna need someone pretty to take care of me."

"Carol's pretty," Maggie countered.

"Carol's my brother's woman darlin'."

Daryl growled. "Shut up Merle," he warned.

Merle grinned, "Ya hit that yet brother?"

Daryl's eyes flashed and he stepped closer to Merle. "Fuckin' hell Merle! Cut it out!"

Maggie quickly intercepted the two and placed one hand on Merle's chest to distract him. "So where's this horse that kicked you? It's not everyday the infamous Merle Dixon gets a taste of his own medicine." She snickered.

Daryl pointed at one of the stalls, walking away from them a moment to grab a towel to wipe at his forehead. Maggie peered into the stall, eyeing the horse that eyed her back as it chewed on fresh hay.

"She doesn't look so bad," Maggie commented.

Daryl scoffed as he walked closer, "Yeah well, I'm calling the owner to come and pick her back up. She ain't staying."

Merle frowned at him, "The hell ya say! Ain't a damn thing wrong that can't be fixed. She just needs a lil' time is all. Ya give up on her an' you'll be takin' one step forward, three steps back."

Maggie and Daryl watched as Merle stared at the horse over the fence, the horse meeting Merle's eyes. Daryl didn't know what it was exactly that made Merle so good with horses, but it was there and even now he could see it. They were sizing each other up and Daryl knew that in the end Merle would win if he really wanted to. He just didn't want his brother getting hurt worse in the process.

"Not much you can do with her with a broke leg Merle," Daryl commented.

Merle sucked his teeth as he moved away from the stall, "There's a lot I can do with her brother. Ya leave her be for now."

Daryl sighed, "Fine."

Maggie glanced back and forth between the two men. "I'm going to take this medicine inside. Is Carol in the house?"

Daryl shrugged, "Don't really know."

They both glanced at him in surprise, but he really _didn't_ know. He hadn't gone back into the house until late and it had been quiet. This morning he had made a point to rise well before she did and he hadn't been back inside all day. As far as he knew, she was still in there somewhere. Their argument was still too fresh and real in his head. He wasn't prepared to deal with that yet.

When Maggie walked away, Daryl could feel Merle staring at him. He tried to ignore his brother, but he knew that Merle could read him like a book most of the time. The problem was that they spent too much damn time together. He knew Merle was going to figure out that something was up between the two of them.

"Somethin' happen I should know 'bout?" Merle asked as he propped himself up against one of the empty stall doors.

"Nope." Daryl turned away from his brother and began sorting through supplies that were stacked into a corner. It was a mindless task, but he was merely trying to keep himself busy and his brother away.

"Hmph. Ya sure about that?"

"Shouldn't you be inside resting? You just got out the hospital Merle."

Merle sucked his teeth and Daryl kept his back turned until he heard the telltale sign of Merle's crutches hitting the ground as he made his way back towards the house. Daryl threw an empty bottle onto the ground, cursing at himself for being so stupid as to let a woman get to him. He didn't need a woman in his life, was better off without one. He just wished it didn't hurt so much to admit that.

...

"Hey you," Maggie called as she entered the house.

Carol looked up from the book she was trying to read. _Trying_ , being the operative word as she had reread the same paragraph at least half a dozen times now. She couldn't concentrate. Every time she closed her eyes or had a moment to herself, she thought about Daryl. Then she thought about Ed and how much he had ruined her life. He wasn't even around and he was still managing to ruin her life.

"Hi," Carol replied, grateful for the distraction. "What are you doing here?"

"I brought Merle home," Maggie sank down onto the couch next to her, rolling her eyes. "That man is such a baby."

Carol snickered, "He just loves the attention from women, _especially_ one woman in particular."

Maggie snorted, "I doubt that."

"No, I'm serious. I think he's got it bad for you. Poor guy, I don't even think he knows how deeply he's in this." Carol glanced out of the open window for the thousandth time, hoping to catch a glimpse of Daryl. He hadn't been inside all day, skipping lunch entirely. She had sent a plate by way of Martinez, but she didn't even know if he had eaten it or not.

She supposed it served her right for keeping Ed a secret for so long. She hadn't expected to come here and she definitely hadn't expected to feel anything for him like she did. It hurt and it hurt even worse that he had kissed her, knowing he had a girlfriend. She still couldn't understand that one. He never left and she still hadn't met the woman. It was all very odd, but then again most things in her life were these days.

"Merle's not the type of guy to settle down. I doubt he wants anything more than to get inside of my pants."

"I think you might be surprised. He doesn't seem all that bad. You should give him a chance Maggie."

Maggie shrugged, "Maybe. Listen, I brought his medicine in." She handed Carol a white paper bag. "He's got two different bottles here, but the labels are pretty self explanatory. The doctor said he should be able to get off the crutches in about three weeks and then they'll change him over to a walking boot cast. He'll probably have a few more weeks on that one before he can walk without a cast at all."

"Wow," Carol replied. "That's going to seriously hurt the guys around here with getting stuff done."

Maggie frowned, "Yeah, it might. Is...is everything okay between you and Daryl? He seemed a little out of sorts outside."

"You talked to Daryl?" Carol asked quickly.

"Well not entirely. I mean, he was a little grumpy so there wasn't much talking involved. When I mentioned your name, he really seemed to tense up though. Made me think that something might have happened." Maggie's eyes searched hers.

Carol twisted her hands in her lap, trying to think of what might be appropriate to say. She had only told Daryl about Ed so far, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to tell Maggie as well yet. Everything was so screwed up. She didn't know what in the hell she was doing.

They both turned at the clacking sound of Merle's crutches coming across the porch. Muffled curses could be heard drifting through the window and they both jumped up to grab the door for him.

Carol's heart went out to him as he entered the room. He was clearly trying to mask the pain that he must have been in, but his face was betraying him with its paleness. She offered him a halfhearted smile.

"Welcome home, Merle," she said.

He grunted in reply, shuffling past on the way to his room. He stopped in the entryway to the living room and turned back to look at her. "Break my damn leg an' the whole house falls apart. My brother's out there throwin' shit around, spittin' out nails an' here you are, cooped up in the house. Don't wanna know what happened an' don't need to know, but whoever's to blame needs to fix it." With that being said, he hobbled out of the room, his crutches clacking down the hallway.

Carol and Maggie stood there for a few moments and then they heard the distinct sound of something falling to the floor.

"Goddammit! Whoever invented fuckin' rugs needs to be shot!"

Maggie's eyes twinkled and then she giggled, making Carol press one hand over her mouth to cover her own snicker.

"I should go help him," Maggie said. "Talk later?"

Carol nodded, her smile fading away some. "Of course."

When Maggie left the room, she headed back into the kitchen to think about what she would cook for dinner. Leaning against the sink, she peered outside once more and finally saw him.

Daryl stood next to one of the fences, talking to Martinez. His shirt had been discarded at some point, the fabric draped over the fence post. He had one boot propped up on the fence, giving her a glorious view of his ass in those jeans. She swallowed dryly, allowing herself a moment to just admire him. Several wisps of hair were sticking to the back of his neck, most likely from sweat. His back was nicely toned and very tan from spending almost all of his time outdoors. He was dirty, sweaty, and obviously very pissed off...yet she had never wanted him more. For the first time in her life, she wasn't frightened of an angry man and that scared her most of all.

..................


	13. Chapter 13

...

Daryl stayed outside of the house for as long as he possibly could before finally resigning himself to heading back inside. It was past dinner time and he had seen Martinez exit the house over an hour ago, headed back to his bunkhouse in the back. Daryl knew he was being an asshole, hiding out in the barn like some kind of pussy, but he just didn't know what to do with the situation. If it were anyone else he might have fired them, but there was something about Carol that had him clinging on.

All day he had been thinking about the situation to the point that he was almost sick of it. He couldn't figure out why she thought that he was dating Bree of all women. Hell, Bree hadn't even been around since Carol had shown up. From what he could remember, he hadn't so much as mentioned the girl's name. He rubbed his forehead, pretty sure the crease that ran across it was permanent now.

Then there was the mention of her being married and the fact that her husband had left her beside the road. He couldn't even imagine someone doing that, but he knew that there were people like that in the world. The more he thought about it, the more it explained her actions though. The way she jumped when there was a loud noise or someone got too close to her indicated that the bastard had done more to her than leave her out in the middle of nowhere. It made him rage with hate for a man that he hadn't ever met. It also meant that despite the fact that the man was clearly an asshole, that Carol wasn't a single woman.

_Christ._

The whole damn situation stunk. What was he supposed to do now? There was a beautiful woman living in his house, practically _two doors_ down from his bedroom and she was off limits. Yet they had kissed. Fuck, had they kissed. He could still remember the way her soft lips had yielded beneath his, her curves rubbing against his body.

" _Fuck_!" He swore loudly as a certain part of his anatomy began to respond to the visuals within his head.

"Daryl?"

Her voice had him spinning around so fast that he suffered a small bout of dizziness, nearly knocking himself out as he ran into an overturned bucket. He quickly righted himself, used to moving fast to avoid accidents. He leaned over, palms braced against his thighs as he got his bearings together. God was playing cruel tricks on him tonight. Just thinking about her had somehow conjured her up and here she was.

"Are you okay?" She asked, concern lacing her voice.

He gave her a cross between a nod and a shake of the head. He wasn't really sure if he was okay or not. Maybe he wouldn't ever be okay...he didn't know.

And then he made the near fatal mistake of looking up and his eyes drank her in like a tall glass of water on a hot day. She wore a black tank top, something that he hadn't ever seen on her before and a pair of white cotton shorts that revealed miles of leg that he wanted to run his hand across. He envisioned backing her against one of the stalls and running his hand up her bare thigh just under the edge of those cotton shorts. He would brace one leg between her thighs to hold her in place, giving him both hands free to roam as he pleased. She would arch her neck and that's when he would hold it upright, angling his head to get a good taste of her skin.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Carol's voice broke him from his daydream.

He shifted, grateful for the shadows of the night where the light didn't quite reach to cover him. He was going to have to learn to control his thoughts and that was proving to be a lot harder than he had ever imagined.

"I said I'm fine," he spit out a little too gruffly.

She flinched slightly, but remained in the same spot, studying him. "I didn't mean to bother you, but Merle's asking for you. He asked me if I would come out to find you."

Daryl narrowed his eyes. Merle had sent her outside of the house at night? Looking like that? He was going to break his brother's other goddamn leg for sure.

"He did, did he?" Daryl asked. "It's not appropriate for you to be walking around out here at night by yourself."

Her face reddened and she shifted like she might be feeling a little self-conscious. "I was going to ask Martinez, bu-"

Daryl growled suddenly, cutting her off mid-sentence. "Why you wanna go fuckin' asking him for?" He stepped out of the shadows and more into the light, the beam casting a yellow glow over the two of them as if they were in their own little bubble. He realized his mistake as soon as he did so. He was too close and too under dressed for the situation. His shirt was still off, discarded somewhere around the ranch...he couldn't quite remember where he had left it. She was dressed in no more than a wisp of clothing, at least in _his_ eyes, and he was also half naked with an erection that just wouldn't quit.

He watched her tongue dart out quickly to lick her lips and he resisted the urge to yank her closer to him and run his tongue over that same trail of skin. His chest barely brushed the material of her tank top as he fought to control his breathing. "You need something then you come to  _me_ ," he said softly.

She nodded, her eyes seeming wide and worried as she met his gaze. He wanted to yank her closer, to wrap his arms around her and do things to her that would make both of their heads spin. He would show her what a good man could do...except he couldn't. She was still legally married and he couldn't bring himself to make that leap. He thought that maybe a part of him still wasn't entirely sure that everything she was telling him was true. It wasn't that she had given him a reason to doubt her, but he had been hurt so many times before. He was wary of it all, the sudden appearance of her at the edge of their property and the husband he had yet to see evidence of. He felt wrong for the doubt, but he couldn't stop it from nagging at the corner of his mind.

"Okay," she replied.

He nodded his head at her and forced his feet to carry him forward, pausing so that she could move ahead of him. He stayed two steps behind her the whole way into the house, only striding past her once they were both inside. Blowing out a deep breath, he headed in search of his brother.

...

Merle looked up at the tap on his bedroom door. He was lying in bed, looking over some documents with his leg propped up. He was hurting something fierce, but so far he had held off from taking any of the pain medicine they had sent him home with. He wasn't a fan of pills...had been there, done that and wasn't trying to go back to that life anymore.

When his brother popped his head inside, he pushed the documents out of the way, grateful for the intrusion. It was boring being stuck inside of the house. He could think of a lot better things he could be doing...like one specific thing actually. A woman with rich brown hair and green eyes that gave as good as she got for one.

"Feeling alright?" Daryl asked as he entered the room, shutting the door softly behind him.

Merle ignored the question and went straight to the heart of the matter. "You figure ya shit out?"

Daryl pulled over a wooden chair from across the room and straddled it, frowning at his brother. "What shit?"

Merle eyed Daryl's bare chest with interest and smiled. "You forget about that lil' hot number we got livin' in this house about three doors down?"

"Christ Merle! Leave that shit alone!"

Daryl's reaction continuously told Merle all he needed to know. His brother was falling for Carol. He could see it in his eyes and body language every time she was around or her name was brought up in conversation. The only thing was, Merle still wasn't sure what was keeping the two of them apart. Nobody was telling him a damn thing and it was starting to get on his nerves. If anyone deserved to be happy then it was his brother.

"What's stoppin' you brother?"

"Just drop it Merle."

"No, I ain't droppin' it. Nobody tells me shit 'round here. I've got a broke leg and I'm laid up in this fuckin' bed like some sorta invalid...I need some fuckin' details."

"It's none of your concern so just drop it," Daryl muttered.

Merle grit his teeth together in frustration. His brother was just as stubborn as he himself could be at times. He looked for something he could throw at Daryl, something to knock some sense into the man.

"Fine. I'll ask her myself then." Merle reached to his bedside table to the bell that was sitting there and picked it up.

Before he could ring it, Daryl had flung himself across the room and snatched it from his hands angrily. "What the fuck is this shit, Merle? A goddamn _bell_?"

Merle shrugged. "Carol gave it to me. Said I could use it to call her if I need her. Looks to me like I need her. Gimme' back my damn bell."

Daryl stepped out of his reach. "No. This is bullshit. Stop trying to push us together. It isn't gonna work so just  _let it go_."

Merle pushed himself up further in the bed, trying not to grimace at the stiffness and pain. "Gimme' one good damn reason why I should just let it go then," Merle challenged.

Daryl plunked the bell back onto the table and strode to the door, stopping with his hand braced upon the doorknob.

"Because she's _married._ "

With that being said, Daryl left his room, leaving Merle sitting there in stunned silence. Of all of the things that he had expected his brother to say, that definitely hadn't been one of them. He took a few moments to mull that thought over. There had to be more to that story. Why was she here if she was married? Where was her husband? More importantly, why wasn't she trying to get back to him?

Something wasn't right with this whole situation. Merle was determined to find out exactly what that something was.

..............


	14. Chapter 14

...

It only took Carol an hour before she began to regret giving Merle that bell.

He had rung that bell at least four times since she had gotten up to fix breakfast. The last time had been to help him with his pillow and now she was starting to suspect that the man was deliberately trying to run her ragged. She was sorely tempted to toss that bell outside in a field somewhere, right after she knocked him over the head with it. Carol had always thought herself to be a patient woman, but Merle was determined to prove her wrong.

Flipping over another pancake, she heard the ringing of the bell again and sighed. Switching off the stove, she set the stack of pancakes onto the middle of the table and headed in his direction. She turned into the hallway just as Daryl appeared outside of his bedroom, apparently fresh from a shower judging by his damp hair. He had an annoyed look on his face that softened when their eyes met. She swallowed hard as he swept into Merle's room two steps ahead of her.

"Knock it off with that fuckin' bell!" Daryl shouted at Merle.

Merle sucked his teeth and grinned at his brother when his eyes met hers. "Is there something you needed Merle?" She asked.

Merle opened his mouth to speak, but Daryl cut him off. Swiping the bell before Merle could yank it away, Daryl held it out of his reach.

"No! She isn't your goddamn maid, Merle! Cut the shit!"

"Never said she was brother. Just decided that I'm gonna eat at the table this mornin' instead of in here. Figured I would save her the hassle of tryin' to bring anything to me."

"Could have just told her that when you got into the kitchen," Daryl snapped.

Without another word, he turned on his heel and left the room, the bell still grasped in his hand. Carol glanced at Merle and was surprised to find him grinning at her. She raised her brows curiously.

"Do you need some help getting up Merle?" 

His grin widened, "Ain't never had no trouble gettin' up sugar. It's gettin' it to go down that's the problem."

Carol's mouth dropped slightly. She was used to Merle's brashness, but there were still some things that tended to shock her that came from his mouth. "Well if you're good to go then I'm going to go finish setting the table," she said.

"Ain't seen my brother this worked up in a long time," Merle's voice drawled as she stepped over the threshold. "Somethin' happen between the two of y'all?"

"What do you mean?" Carol asked as innocently as possible.

"Don't play coy with me darlin'. That boy's got a bur up his ass an' the only thing I can think of that might be the reason is _you_."

Carol grimaced. The whole situation with Daryl had just gotten out of hand and she wasn't even sure how to get it back. She wasn't sure what she should tell Merle or _if_ she should even tell him anything. He might rag Daryl about it and then Daryl would be even more pissed than he already was. She braced one hand against the doorway.

"I'm not sure it's my place to tell you anything Merle," she explained.

Merle scoffed. "He ain't mad at you, ya know. He's just bein' stubborn as usual. I just can't put my finger on why exactly. I mean it's obvious the boy's infatuated with ya..." Merle continued to talk, but Carol was no longer paying any attention. She was focused on the part where Daryl was supposedly infatuated with her. "...so I'll find out one way or another darlin', but it'd make this whole process a lot easier if you'd just tell me."

He shifted himself to the edge of the bed and grunted as he picked up his crutches. She took a step forward to offer him a hand when a deep booming voice from outside had her stopping cold. Her face grew pale as her body recognized the voice and she turned to run outside. Behind her she briefly heard Merle curse and shout for her to wait, but she couldn't wait. She had to get outside before something happened.

The screen door slammed shut behind her as she stepped onto the porch and faced her worst fears. Ed was standing in the yard, yelling her name. How he had come to find her she didn't know, but she suspected it had something to do with that bar. He spotted her the moment she stepped outside and his eyes zoned in on her coldly.

She licked her lips, "Ed-"

"What in the hell is going on here?" Daryl's deep voice demanded.

She blinked in his direction, seeing him walk into view of the porch. He was carrying a coil of rope and he was shirtless, sweat beading all over his tanned skin. He looked back and forth between her and Ed as he took in the situation. He started to speak, but Ed beat him to it, effectively cutting him off.

"I'll tell you what's going on here," Ed yelled. "What's going on is this woman is a whore!"

Carol cringed as Daryl's whole body stiffened and he turned a full force glare onto Ed Peletier. It was oddly quiet for several moments as no one uttered a word. Carol's heart was pounding so hard in her chest that she was sure it could be heard by everyone.

"State your business here," Daryl warned in a threatening tone.

Ed cackled loudly, "My business? _My_ business is that this whore is my wife!"

Daryl bristled. "Gonna ask you only once not to call her that."

"Excuse me?" Ed sneered as he stepped closer to Daryl. "She's _my_ wife and I'll call her whatever the hell I want to call her!"

Carol jumped as the screen door swung open behind her and Merle stepped out. His face was eerily blank, but there was a dangerous spark to his eyes that told her he had heard everything said so far. His eyes met hers and he nodded briefly before looking away and she followed his gaze to see him exchange a look with his brother. This was getting out of hand and the last thing Carol wanted was for Ed to hurt someone. She tried to take a step forward, but Merle swung his crutch out in front of her stopping her movement. She looked at him, but he was still looking out at Ed and Daryl.

"Easy," he said softly to her. "We got this."

Ed turned his hostile stare onto her and she swallowed hard, instinctively wanting to try and calm him down before he lashed out at her like she used to do. With Merle beside her though, she found comfort that Ed would do her no harm and that gave her a sense of bravery that she hadn't ever had with him before.

"What do you want Ed?" She asked.

"Came back to collect your dumbass since you never showed. Got some business to take care of elsewhere and you're comin' with me." Ed took a step in her direction, but Daryl moved fast. He sidestepped in front of Ed and held out a hand, stopping him in his tracks. Ed shoved Daryl angrily and Carol gasped, but Merle's hand on her arm kept her from going down there.

Throwing down the coil of rope, Carol saw Daryl's hand close into a fist and he reared back and punched Ed right in the gut. Daryl leaned over to speak to Ed while he bent over double holding his stomach. Carol could just barely make out the words that Daryl was saying.

"She isn't going anywhere with you, you lowlife bastard. You call yourself a husband?" Daryl scoffed. "Hell you ain't even good enough for my dog to piss on."

Ed groaned again, "Fuck you!"

Daryl chuckled, but Carol heard no humor in his tone at all. "See you and I aren't communicating very well. You aren't taking her _anywhere_."

"Bullshit. She's my wife," Ed protested.

"Not for long she isn't. Cause when you leave here, you're gonna go and file for a divorce and give this woman her life back." Daryl clamped a heavy hand on the back of Ed's neck and tightened his grip, his warning clear even from a distance. "And just so we're clear, if you don't file for divorce, I _will_ find you. There's a special place in hell for men like you, Ed."

Carol couldn't tear her eyes away from the situation in front of her. She hadn't ever seen anyone handle Ed like that even as much as Ed liked to run his mouth. She was overcome with the realization that the man she had always feared was weak. Seeing Ed reduced to nothing in front of her made her wonder how she had ever been fearful of him to begin with. She felt not one ounce of sympathy for the man as he finally stood back up straight, still clutching his stomach.

He eyed them all, "Ain't nothing you can do about it if I don't divorce her."

Beside her, Merle bristled and made his way down the porch steps. "Wanna bet? I can kick your fuckin' ass right now, crutches an' all. Be more than happy to provide a demonstration if ya like."

There was movement out of the corner of Carol's eye and she turned to see Martinez had stepped just into view, his hard gaze focused onto Ed as well. Apparently Ed saw him too because he seemed to be second guessing himself more and more.

"How many of you fucks are there?" Ed asked, his voice sounding a lot more unsure of himself than moments before.

"Enough to make Carol a widow," Daryl replied coldly.

Ed swallowed visibly and began to edge back towards his car. He kept one eye trained on all of the men as he did so, only stopping once he had his car door open. It was only then that some of his anger returned. Carol pitied Ed and saw straight through him to the coward that he really was deep inside.

"Oh and Ed?" She called and his eyes slid up to meet hers. "Do make sure you sign those papers sooner rather than later."

Ed narrowed his eyes and climbed into his car, slamming the door shut behind him. He cranked the vehicle and revved the engine, slamming it into reverse and kicking up a cloud of dust. As his car roared down the driveway, Carol breathed out a sigh of relief that was quickly replaced with curiosity as another car pulled up the drive.

Carol watched as a young woman exited the vehicle and strode right up to Daryl. Carol didn't miss the way Daryl tensed at her approach and she wondered who the woman was.

"Oh shit," Merle mumbled.

"Kinda busy here, Bree," Daryl snapped.

 _Bree?_ Carol's interest had definitely been piqued now. Something was wrong with the situation though. Daryl wasn't looking the least bit pleased to see the woman who was supposedly his girlfriend. Had she been mistaken when she had overheard Merle and Daryl talking that day?

"My Daddy is throwing a party this weekend and I told him that you were gonna be my date." Bree winked at Daryl and placed her hand on his arm which he immediately shrugged off.

Daryl huffed, "Well you told him wrong! I'm not your boyfriend, girl! Goddammit!"

Daryl began to pace and Carol watched as Merle approached his brother and spoke low by his ear. Daryl listened and then nodded, his jaw tightening as he whirled around to walk away. Carol walked down the steps towards the woman who apparently _wasn't_ Daryl's girlfriend as he headed towards the stables. Again Merle intercepted her.

"Do me a favor darlin'," Merle winked at her.

"What is it Merle?" Carol asked.

He tipped his head in the direction of the stables. "Find him and make sure he's alright. My leg's gettin' tired and I don't think I can make it that far."

"Oh I don't know, Merle. He looked pretty angry." Carol glanced at the barn.

"He ain't mad at you, sugar. If someone else isn't 'round, he's liable to tear into somethin'. Go," Merle urged.

Carol bit her lip and then nodded. With one last glance at Bree who had wandered over to Martinez, Carol made her way to the stables. It took her eyes a moment to adjust upon entering with the drastic change in lighting, but she spotted Daryl guiding Apple from her stall, speaking to her softly. Her stomach was in knots wondering if she should even be out here after their last encounter. She drifted close, but still kept her distance even as Daryl mounted the horse. He reached down with one hand to rub Apple's neck and pat her affectionately.

Then Daryl surprised her by walking the horse over to her and holding out a hand. "Comin'?" 

Carol's eyes widened and she opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Numbly she nodded and placed her hand in his, allowing him to help her onto the horse. Once situated, his strong arms barricaded her in as he guided Apple from the barn. Once outside in the open, he nudged the horse into a gallop and all she could do was hang on for the ride.

.................


	15. Chapter 15

...

They rode hard and fast on Apple and all Carol could do was hang on tight and enjoy the ride. The only problem with that was that there was nothing to hang on _to_. _Except Daryl._ Since she wasn't sure of an appropriate way to do that she settled back against his chest, his arms on either side of her keeping her from sliding to the side. Sitting back so close to him she was aware of his very masculine scent, a combination of leather, sweat, and something else that she couldn't identify. It stirred something deep inside of her, something that hadn't stirred in a long time until she had met Daryl.

As if all of those things weren't enough of a distraction, she was acutely aware of the fact that his chest was still bare. Her eyes kept drifting to his arms, the tanned skin coupled with muscles stretched taut from his emotions. His fingers were laced through Apple's mane, but his grip was loose, his trust in the horse infinite. His jean clad legs brushed up against the back of her and she pushed down the wave of desire that threatened to consume her thoughts.

Focusing instead on the scenery around her, she admired the mountains in the distance, the stark beauty of them painting a remarkable picture. The grass beneath them was spread across the ground in a lush blanket of green. Instead of taking her the same direction as last time when they were chasing the other horse, Daryl took her a different route, guiding Apple down a short incline and through a sparse covering of trees. She forgot all about the man sitting behind her as he slowed the horse down to a trot and the vision before her took her breath away.

They came to a stop next to a rather large pond nestled between the trees. Green grass grew right up to the edge and several large boulders sat clustered together on one side. There was a small pier jutting out into the water, but it was the water that drew her eye. Never before had she seen water so clear in a pond that size and she was drawn to the allure of it all. Several lily pads were gathered around the water's edge, but overall the pond was clean.

Daryl slipped down from Apple and then wrapped both hands around her waist to help her down behind him. Her skin burned from his touch and she was sure that her face was flushed as well. His expression was still blank, but she could see that a lot of the tension from before was slowly beginning to seep from his body. He walked to the water's edge and stared out with a thoughtful look on his face. Apple nickered softly and bent her head to munch on a mouthful of grass.

"It's beautiful here," Carol commented softly. "How do you keep the water so clear? It's amazing."

"That's a secret," Daryl replied, a hint of a smile teasing his lips. "A magician can't reveal all of his secrets."

Carol smiled softly at his light teasing, but she knew that they had things to discuss. There was obviously an attraction between the two of them that they couldn't deny.

"I'm sorry I didn't mention Ed," she whispered as she walked closer to him. He looked over at her, his forehead crinkled in thought and he waited for her to continue. "I realize that it was kind of a big deal...not telling you about him sooner. You and Merle welcomed me into your home without even really knowing anything about me and the least I should have done was tell you that about that part of my life. To be honest though, I was a little ashamed and I guess a part of me thought that if I pushed him from my mind then he didn't really exist anymore." God, what a relief. She hadn't ever really talked to anyone about Ed or her feelings like this before. She hadn't realized how good it would feel to get all of this off of her chest.

"I was an asshole," Daryl said suddenly. "Instead of listening to what you had to say I got angry and ran out." He sighed. "I'm not good with feelings and I'm not one for relationships either. That don't excuse anything I done, but I'm hopin' you'll cut me some slack." His crystal blue eyes stared straight into her soul and her breath caught as she stood frozen in place. "From the moment I saw you, I knew that you were different. I liked you a lot and when we kissed...it damn near killed me. I've never got feelings like that from kissing a woman before. _Never_. Then I guess I got jealous cause I seen you with Martinez and I thought you were playing with my emotions. Seeing that sack of shit excuse for a husband back there really stirred me up," he admitted. He reached his hand out and cupped her jaw, his thumb rubbing across her skin softly. "Ain't no man should ever treat a woman like that. _Ever_. Merle and I might be assholes, but we have never raised our hand to a woman before."

Carol's mind was spinning over his words. That was the most she had ever heard the man say in one sitting and she was frantically trying to process it all.

"And Bree? I'm assuming that she isn't your girlfriend." Carol's face reddened in embarrassment at her assumptions from before.

Daryl frowned and dropped his hand, "Hell no!" He ran a hand through his hair. "Girl's got it in her head that I like her or something. I've never said more than necessary to her though. Her Pop owns some land nearby and we try hard not to piss her off too bad...try to get along with the neighbors, but I'm getting tired of telling her no." Carol had gathered that much from observing their interactions, but it was still comforting to hear him say the words. "Why did you follow me to the barn?"

"Merle told me I should go to you in case you needed someone...He was scared you might tear something up." She smiled.

"I was angry, but you weren't scared of me. Why?" 

Carol shrugged, shifting her eyes towards the pond. "I guess because I felt that you wouldn't lash out at me. I've been around the both of you long enough that I've gotten comfortable here," she admitted.

He was quiet for several minutes and she could feel his eyes scanning her face. "Comfy enough to stay?" 

She glanced back at him and swallowed over a lump in her throat. "You want me to stay?" He inhaled deeply and then nodded slightly. Her heart began to beat faster within her chest and she wanted so badly to kiss this man, to do things she had only dreamed about doing with him. "I'd like that," she whispered in reply.

Daryl placed his hand upon her hip and took a step closer to her, turning his body so that they were completely facing each other. "I want to kiss you," he said.

His admission stunned her. He hadn't asked her for permission all those other times, but then again things seemed different between them now. The air wasn't so thick with unspoken admissions. "Are you asking me for permission?"

"Yeah."

"Yes." She spoke so quickly that he blinked and then grinned down at her enthusiasm.

Licking his lips, he cupped her jaw and brought his mouth to hers. The kiss was the exact same as all of the others except for the fact that this time something seemed different. There was still an intense heat that sparked between them the moment their lips touched, but the kiss was slower, his tongue stroking her in a way that made her want to melt into him. She hesitantly slid her hands up his bare arms as they kissed, resting them on his shoulders. She marveled at how toned he was, long days on the ranch keeping him in shape.

He slid his hands into her short hair and his fingers massaged her scalp, making her moan into his mouth. When he finally pulled away from her minutes later for breath, her head was nearly spinning. He tipped his forehead to hers, their breaths mingling.

"I want you," he whispered as his eyes burned into hers.

Something about the way he uttered that statement set fire to Carol's insides and she knew that she wanted him as well. "I want you too."

He sighed and closed his eyes, "But you're married."

She pressed a palm to each of his cheeks and he opened his eyes. "I haven't been married for a long time. I was merely a prisoner in a relationship that was going nowhere."

"What are you saying?"

"A piece of paper doesn't define what my heart wants...and I want _you_."

He seemed torn, "Are you sure?"

She nodded and bit her lip softly. "As sure as I've ever been."

Her response seemed to trigger something inside of Daryl and he hauled her snugly against him, tightened his arms around her and thrust his tongue into her mouth with a passion that left her breathless. She met him stroke for stroke, her body burning with a heat more intense than anything she had ever experienced before.

Holding her tightly he lowered her to the ground, following her down with his mouth still attached to hers. She moaned as his body covered hers, halfway on top of her to keep his weight from crushing her. The ground beneath her was surprisingly soft, the thick grass tickling her neck as he rained kisses over her skin. She arched into him blindly, her eyes cloudy with lust.

He slid one hand beneath her shirt, skirting under her bra where he rubbed his fingertips over her erect nipples. She hissed through her teeth as sensations rippled through her. He took his time exploring her body without even removing her clothing. His fingers slid over every inch of her skin, igniting a fire in its path.

She forgot everything else around her as he kissed her neck and began to move downward. She focused on the moment and the man who was quickly working his way into her heart. He was everything she had never had before and everything she had ever wanted.

When his fingers slid past her panties and touched the center of her soul, she cried out loudly. Her hips began to rock against his hand as he slid one finger inside of her and ran a finger from his other hand over her lips. Opening her eyes, she stared up into his own ocean blue orbs and she lost herself. An intense heat spread through her body from head to toe and all she could do was ride the wave as it crested.

The moment she felt herself begin to fall, she opened her mouth to cry out in pleasure, but his lips were there covering hers and swallowing her cries. Spark after spark pulsed through her body and she shuddered as he kept working her until she could stand it no more. She pulled back from his kiss, breathless and flushed. He slid his finger free from her body and placed it between his lips, sucking the flavor of her from his skin. It was the most erotic thing she had ever seen.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered.

Carol bit her lip and looked away, fighting the emotions waging inside of her. She felt the urge to confess the love for him that was building inside of her, but she held back. She didn't think her heart could take it if he didn't feel the same. She would wait and hope for a sign from him that he felt it too.

She raised her hand to his cheek and stroked her fingers across the scruff that covered his skin. "Thank you," she whispered.

He wrinkled his brow. "For what?"

"For giving me that. I don't think I've ever experienced anything so intense. You really know what you're doing." Her face was flaming red at her words.

His own cheeks bloomed with a faint redness as he rolled onto his back next to her. He placed both hands behind his head and Carol lay in silence next to him.

"Merle."

Carol turned to glance at him, "Merle?"

He nodded, "He taught me that shit. I haven't learned that from being with a whole bunch of women if that's what you're thinking."

She actually _hadn't_ been thinking that, but now that he had said it her mind immediately went there. She was glad that he had offered up that little piece of himself and it made her feel good to know that he didn't routinely do this to other women. She certainly had very limited experience herself so she wasn't one to judge anyone.

"Makes sense," she murmured.

He chuckled, "What does? That Merle's a man-whore?"

Carol giggled at the term and rolled into his side. His arm instinctively slid down around her, tugging her closer. Her laughter died in her throat as he lowered his head and grazed his lips over hers. She yielded to him immediately and felt her body begin to respond to his touch. It had hardly been ten minutes and she was longing for his touch again. She knew she was in big trouble. He kissed her lazily, his tongue slowly gliding around her mouth with small strokes that left her dizzy.

She nearly jumped a foot in the air when something cold pressed against her arm. Apple stood over them and nickered softly, nudging on her arm again. Daryl sat up and rubbed the horse's nose affectionately, smiling in that way he had. She lay back to watch him, enjoying the sight of him so relaxed. His smile made him seem so young and carefree.

"She likes you," Daryl said as he patted Apple's neck and kissed the top of her nose swiftly.

"How can you tell?" 

"She came to you. She doesn't come to people she doesn't like. For a long time she wouldn't even come to Merle." Daryl laughed, obviously remembering a time long ago. "Merle couldn't figure that shit out and he's real good with horses. Apple followed me around from day one. I didn't pick her...she picked me. Reckon she saw something in me she liked."

Carol sat up too and Apple backed away, her tail swishing slightly as she went. "There's a lot in you to like Daryl."

His eyes searched hers, "You think so?"

"I know so." Carol looked at the sky and wondered how long they had been gone. It felt like hours, but she hadn't paid much attention. "You think we should go check on Merle? I'm sure he and Martinez might be getting hungry. It feels like it's lunchtime." Her stomach growled softly in agreement.

Daryl stood up and reached down with one hand to help her to her feet. He didn't let go once they were both standing and it felt nice to hold his hand.

"I'm sure they aren't starving. They're grown men...they can find their own damn food."

"What if Merle needs help though?"

"Then he can ring that damn bell he's so fond of." Carol laughed.

..................


	16. Chapter 16

...

"So what you're tellin' me...is that ya had her all the way out there alone and ya didn't do a damn thing?"

" _No._ What I'm telling you is that it's none of your damn business, Merle. What she and I did or didn't do is between us...as it should be. Quit poking your nose in where it don't belong," Daryl said.

He glanced over towards the house through the open barn doors where he stood as he took himself a short break. Merle had suckered Martinez into helping him out to the barn and now he was pestering the hell out of Daryl. He knew that it was hard for his brother to stay cooped up in the house, he really did. Dixon's just weren't built for the indoors, but Daryl had hoped to be alone with his thoughts for just a bit without any distractions.

Being out with Carol yesterday had been just about the best damn thing to happen to him since he and Merle had acquired the ranch. He loved that he had been able to bring her pleasure like that and he hoped like hell to have the chance to do it again soon. Despite their physical attraction, he also yearned to know more about her as a person...what she liked and disliked. He wanted to know it all. The thought excited yet terrified him. Never before had he had feelings like this with anyone else nor had he ever really wanted to.

"Ya must really like this one then," Merle mused.

Daryl scoffed, hating that his brother was reading him so well right now. "How you figure that?"

"Cause you refusin' to talk about it. With all the others, ya weren't hesitant to tell me shit."

" _All the others?_ You say that like there were dozens, Merle. I've been with two other women. _T_ wo," Daryl clarified as he stared at his brother.

A sound near the doorway caught their attention and Daryl turned to see Martinez standing there hesitantly. Cursing under his breath at the fact that the man had more than likely overheard their conversation he ground his teeth together in mild frustration.

"Sorry to interrupt," Martinez offered with an apologetic expression, "I finished stacking those hay bales and was wondering what you needed me to tackle next."

Daryl wiped a hand over his forehead and glanced toward the house, wondering what Carol was doing at that moment. He could feel Merle and Martinez both staring at him and the need to get away from that barn was strong. He glanced at Merle, "Why don't you handle this? Since you're so determined not to get proper rest like the doctor ordered, then _you_ can find something else that he needs to do. I'm takin' a break." Daryl didn't wait for a response as he headed towards the house, his long stride eating up the ground as he walked with a purpose. He knew exactly where he wanted to be.

...

Carol finished sweeping the kitchen and set to work deciding on what to make the men for lunch. Cooking was truly one of her favorite parts of the day. She enjoyed the relaxation of preparing a meal and seeing someone enjoy it. She had discovered an old recipe book in one of the cupboards when she had been dusting and she had tweaked several of the recipes already. It was great to be able to cook whatever she wanted without fear of doing something wrong or cooking the wrong thing.

She had just opened the cabinet underneath the counter to look for a large pot when the door opened. Thinking that it was Merle coming back inside, she stood up to go and give him a hand, but stopped short when she saw Daryl. His presence filled the doorway and the heat swirling through his blue eyes made her heart skip a beat. A light sheen of sweat coated his neck and arms along with several damp places throughout his sleeveless shirt.

For a long moment they simply stared at each other from their opposite corners of the kitchen, neither of them speaking. Finally Carol broke the stare down by biting down on her lip and drawing his attention.

"Is there something you need?" 

His eyes flickered and then he nodded almost imperceptibly. He began walking towards her while Carol simply stood there, her pulse racing as her body began to heat with a desire so intense it almost scared her.

He didn't waste words as he grabbed her by the waist and closed the gap between them swiftly by planting his lips onto hers. She opened to him immediately, allowing him to drink from her like a man dying of thirst in the desert. He didn't disappoint as his tongue swept inside and staked a claim on her.

Somewhere in the midst of their sizzling kiss, Carol found herself braced against the counter, his hands planted on either side of her caging her in. Instead of being a bit skittish like she might have had it been anyone else, she only felt more aroused by it all. She let the fingers of her hand rest at the base of his throat, the thud of his heart beating near her palm. His all male scent enveloped her body like a warm blanket on a cold night and she shuddered as he finally pulled his lips free of hers.

"Christ," he muttered.

Carol felt her cheeks grow warm and she rested her forehead against his shoulder as she caught her breath. "Is it always like this?" She whispered.

She didn't have to explain what she meant. "I've never felt it like this before, but I sure the hell hope it's always like this," he responded gruffly.

She rested her head there for several minutes more, not quite ready to pull away from him, but she knew that she had lunch to prepare. "I've got to whip something together for lunch before I run out of time," she said regretfully.

He nodded and his eyes met hers, "I won't keep you. Got some stuff I've gotta get done before then." He glanced over her shoulder and through the kitchen window before meeting her gaze once more. "Take a walk with me after dinner?"

Carol's face lit up and she started to nod, but then she stopped and frowned instead. "Wait - what about Merle? He might need something."

"Don't worry. I got that taken care of," Daryl answered mysteriously.

"Okay. I'd love to take a walk with you."

He brushed a soft kiss across her forehead, "Can't wait." He squeezed her hand once more before walking out of the door. She walked to the window to watch him as he crossed the yard, his jeans hugging him in a way that made her whole body jealous. She felt dirty for watching him and thinking such thoughts, but the man truly had no idea how good looking he was.

"I can't wait either," she whispered to herself.

...

Daryl exited the kitchen and strolled across the yard, purposefully ignoring the barn in an attempt to get his hormones under control. As he walked, he dug his cell phone out of his pocket and scrolled through his list of numbers until he found the one that he was looking for. Putting the phone to his ear, he kept walking as he listened to it ring on the other end.

"Well, well, isn't this a pleasant surprise? Not exactly the Dixon I was expecting, but I suppose you'll do," Maggie's sultry voice replied.

Daryl smirked, "If you know what's good for you, you'll run far away while you got the chance."

"Run? Run from what? Mean ole' Merle Dixon?" Maggie scoffed. "He doesn't scare me."

Daryl's grin widened. "He should. He's an ornery bastard."

"He's alright when he wants to be...which isn't very often I might add. So what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?"

"Need a favor."

"Oh?" Maggie's voice was laced with curiosity. Daryl never asked her for favors.

"Remember how that ornery bastard is supposed to be resting that leg?"

Maggie grew really quiet and Daryl could just see her silently fuming. "Tell me he isn't. No wait- don't tell me cause I already know. Damn that Merle Dixon! He's never gonna get better if he doesn't follow the doctor's orders!"

"Exactly. How about you come on over after dinner this evening and have a lil' chat with him?"

"Now why would I want to do that?"

"It's no secret you and my brother got the hots for each other. I'm just surprised neither of you has acted on it yet. Not like Merle to keep his dick in his pants," Daryl joked.

"I don't need to know where his dick has been. Daryl Dixon. And for the record, the only reason Merle Dixon and I have not hooked up is _because_ his dick doesn't stay in his pants!"

"Now you know I was just kidding. Merle hasn't  been with anyone since he set eyes on you. Man's got it bad for you." Daryl grinned when he thought about just how bad Merle did have it for the spunky Greene girl. He knew his brother and his brother had never acted like this over a woman ever. The fact that Merle was still interested despite the two of them not having had sex yet spoke volumes. And Daryl knew that Merle hadn't had sex yet because the bastard was becoming more and more grumpy as time went on, a great indicator that his sex life was pretty much non-existent at this point.

Maggie Greene was just the fire that Merle Dixon needed to whip him into shape. She certainly had the determination to take him on and that was quite the feat for anyone, Daryl himself included.

"So you comin'?" Daryl asked.

"Wait - why the sudden urgency? And why after dinner?" Maggie questioned. "Is there something going on with you and Carol?"

Daryl's feet came to an abrupt stop and he frowned at the phone. How the hell did this woman know that? Were women mind readers? What the hell? "What makes you say that?" He asked instead.

Maggie squealed into the phone and Daryl winced, jerking it away from his ear with a scowl. "I knew it! I could tell there was something between the two of you the last time we talked!"

"She talked about me?"

"Well no, not exactly. I asked her about you and she all but turned fifteen different shades of red and averted her eyes. I could tell that she had a thing for you then. Women know these things Daryl. You don't question it, just go with it."

Daryl scratched his head, his mind drifting back over the list of things he had on his agenda to do today before dinner. He wanted his whole evening free to spend with Carol and he didn't want any interruptions. He _needed_ Maggie to be there to occupy his brother. If not then Carol was likely to spend all night wanting to check on him and that just wouldn't do.

"Got shit to do. You coming or not?" He feigned indifference, but inside he was silently pleading for her to say yes.

Maggie sighed, "You know I am."

"Thank God," he replied.

"Yep. Better be thankin' somebody...I'm just a glutton for punishment I suppose." She hummed into the phone. "Speaking of punishment-"

"Gotta go," Daryl said quickly and hung up the phone before she could continue. He didn't even begin to want to know where she had been going with _that_ statement. He slid the phone into his pocket and picked up an empty bucket. Everything was set now. Maggie would be there after dinner to entertain Merle in God knows what way and Daryl had a surprise up his sleeve for Carol. He couldn't _wait_ until dinner was over.

................


	17. Chapter 17

To say that Carol was nervous would be an understatement. She felt like some kind of teenager out on her first date with a hot guy and she wasn't quite sure what to do with herself. In some ways, it was kind of her first date or at least _she_ was counting it as her first. It was definitely the first one that had made her feel this way that much was for sure.

Maggie had arrived just as they were finishing dinner and Daryl had ushered her to the side, talking amongst themselves. Carol hadn't missed the way that Merle's eyes had inevitably lit up upon Maggie's appearance and then the annoyance that had crossed his face when Daryl had intercepted her. It didn't take her long to figure out that Daryl must have set things up for Maggie to "drop" by. Maggie was there to keep Merle occupied and she had to admit that it was a good idea. Whenever Maggie was anywhere around Merle, he became a bit more manageable and noticeably distracted by the woman. Maggie had flashed Carol a grin as she settled in next to Merle, asking him about his leg.

Now Carol was making her way out to the barn per Daryl's request that he would be waiting for her there. It was nice out, the moon overhead giving off a radiant glow. It was cool out and she had slipped a light coat over her shirt and opted for jeans instead of shorts. As she walked, she could see a light coming from the barn where Daryl waited.

She stepped inside slowly and looked around before finally hearing movement down at the end. Walking to the other side, Carol stopped when she saw the ATV sitting there and then Daryl appeared from the shadows. He was dressed in a black shirt with jeans and though he wore no jacket, he was carrying a blanket in his arms that he strapped to the back of the ATV. He offered her a smile at her look of curiosity as he straddled the machine and started up the engine. He held out a hand to her and she went to him immediately, sliding in behind him. He was warm, his body radiating heat as she slid her arms around his waist, the feel of his taut stomach making her flood with warmth.

He trailed his fingers over her hands and loosened on of them, bringing it up to his mouth so that he could kiss her fingers. She nuzzled into his back, the moment feeling nothing short of perfect. She had absolutely no idea what he was up to, but it really didn't matter to her in the end as long as they were spending time together. Everything about this man just felt so right.

He pressed the gas on the vehicle and they started forward, his boot changing the gears as they increased speed. She held on tightly to him, probably more than was necessary, but she would use any excuse that she could get.

It seemed that no matter how many times he carried her away from the ranch, he took her in a completely different direction. This time he took her across the plains and closer towards the mountains. He didn't go out as far and they could still see the lights from the ranch in the distance, but it felt like they were in their own little bubble anyway. Pressing the brakes, he geared down the ATV and switched it off, the silence almost deafening. She released his waist as he stepped down from the side and opened up a small box attached to the back. He reached inside to produce a small lantern and then pulled the blanket down from the back. She climbed off of the vehicle as he spread the blanket out on the ground then reached for her hand. She smiled at him lightly as he sat down and then tugged her down after him.

Carol sat down next to him and he lay back on the blanket, folding his hands behind his head as he looked up at the sky. Following his lead she lay next to him and the sight nearly took her breath away.

"Wow," she breathed.

He hummed in agreement, "Quite a display, ain't it?"

"It's amazing." She had never seen the stars shine so brightly before and it was quite a vision to take in. Lying back on that blanket next to him, she almost felt like she were up there with the stars, the display was so prominent. "This is perfect."

Daryl turned his head and she could feel him staring at her so she turned hers as well. Without thinking, she rolled onto her side and placed one leg across his, settling into him as if she had done it all of her life. It felt natural and he didn't protest so she maintained the position.

"I wanna know everything about you," Daryl murmured, his lips nestled near her hair.

Carol smiled against his chest, "Well my favorite color is blue."

"Damn good color," he remarked.

"What's yours?"

"Kinda partial ta green."

"I like green," she said.

He chuckled, "What else?"

"My favorite food is pizza."

"Beef jerky," he commented.

"Well so far we have absolutely nothing in common," she giggled. "You tell me something...something real."

He was quiet for several moments and then he reached under her chin and lifted her face to his, "I'm crazy 'bout you Carol," he breathed.

She sucked in her breath and met his eyes, feeling the sincerity pouring from him. Pushing up onto her elbow, she closed the gap separating them and pressed her lips to his. His hand encircled the back of her neck, tugging her closer to him. His lips were warm and pliant beneath hers and he let her lead the kiss, following her lead lazily. She nibbled on his lip as she pulled back, shivering a little, but not from the temperature.

"Cold?" He questioned.

She shook her head, "No. In fact, I'm burning up." She blushed at her words.

He sat up and claimed her lips once more, sucking her bottom lip between his as he pulled away. "I didn't bring ya here for this," he whispered.

Carol licked her lips, running her tongue back and forth over them as if she could still taste him there. He groaned and flopped back onto the blanket, staring back up at the sky with a small smile playing over his lips. Summoning her courage, Carol slid down the blanket and crawled between his legs, remembering the pleasure he had brought her last time they were out here alone. He sat up immediately as she reached for the button of his jeans.

"Carol-"

"Shh..." She placed one hand on his chest and gently pushed. "Please."

With a deep sigh he lay back down, running a hand through his beard as he did so. Focusing back on the task at hand, Carol unzipped his jeans and closed her eyes a moment before reaching inside to find the heat between his legs. His whole body tensed as she located and wrapped her slender fingers around his thickness, the flesh beneath hers pulsing and hot.

She was in unfamiliar territory, but she figured that she knew enough about it to wing what she didn't know. She would take her time and do everything she could to bring this man the same pleasure he had given her so freely already.

With slightly trembling fingers, she worked the thick shaft free of his boxers and marveled at this stunning part of him. Experimentally, she ran her fingers up his shaft and across the tip feeling him shiver and mutter something beneath his breath. Judging by his movements, she began to stroke him up and down as his breathing deepened.

"Carol," he muttered as he raised onto his elbows, his eyes piercing her through the darkness.

Ignoring him, she parted her lips and inhaled deeply before sliding her mouth down over him. His hips lifted of their own accord and he released a primal noise that sounded like a growl. Carol took him down her throat as far as she possibly could which didn't feel like very far at all, but he seemed to like it as she saw his hands fist into the blanket.

"I'm not very good at this...you're a little _big_ ," she admitted sheepishly.

"Christ," he breathed. "What tha fuck are ya doin' to me? Feels amazin'."

"Really?" She swallowed down her embarrassment and surged forward, taking him in deeper than before as she relaxed her throat. She was determined to bring this man to his knees. Moving her hands, she lightly raked her nails under his shirt and across his torso, feeling the change in his breathing as she did so. She wrapped one hand around the base of his shaft and squeezed. She was rewarded with an upward thrust of his hips, one of his hands coming up to cup her cheek before gliding through her shoulder length hair.

"Carol," he panted. "Christ Carol...I'm gonna cum. Pull back," he urged.

She shook her head no, doubling her efforts. She was overcome with a sudden desire to taste the very essence that was Daryl Dixon. He thrust his hands through his hair as if he suddenly couldn't be still even if his life depended on it. As suddenly as he gripped his hair, he moved his hands to her hair, lightly running his fingers through it. She could feel the muscles in his legs bunch tightly and then he ceased all movement seconds before her mouth filled with his cum. She was startled as the warm spurts shot down the back of her throat and she swallowed as much as possible. A small bit dribbled out around her mouth and down his length, but she ran her tongue over him to catch the slightly salty substance as all of the tension seemed to leave his body and he deflated before her very eyes. Carol sat back and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, staring at him in the darkness that shrouded them both.

He was breathing heavily and it took several minutes before he moved. He pushed himself to a sitting position and looked at her, the intensity between them strong. Reaching out, he grabbed her and pulled her into his lap, burying his face against her neck, his lips dragging over her smooth skin lightly. Carol tipped her head back and he moved his lips to her neck, lavishing her skin with his tongue. Her body was a raging inferno of need and she was burning up. Catching her breath, she placed her palm against his chest to stop him.

"Not tonight. I wanted to do this for you. Don't spoil it," she whispered.

He sighed, "Let me bring ya pleasure. It ain't right."

Carol shook her head, "No. Next time," she promised.

His eyes flashed, "Next time."

"Do we have to head back yet? Can we lay out here a little longer?"

Daryl shrugged, "Tha night's still young. We can do whatever ya want." He shifted his body and she heard the sound of his zipper being pulled back into place. He pulled her back against his chest, his legs resting on the outside of hers and she rested her cheek against his heart listening to the steady thumping sound that vibrated his chest. She felt more comfortable out in the open with this man than she ever had before. Things between them seemed to have progressed so quickly, but when she thought about it she had been at the ranch for a while now. She didn't need months to figure out that she was falling in love with this man. Running her fingers along his arm, she grabbed his hand and tangled their fingers together with a sigh of contentment.

"Daryl?" She yawned sleepily.

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

He stiffened. "For what?"

"For being so nice...and so perfect." She swallowed hard over the feelings bubbling up inside of her. "I've never had that before," she said instead.

"Neither have I." His lips grazed her ear and she sighed, settling back against him as they watched the stars overhead.


	18. Chapter 18

...

"So they sent ya here ta babysit, huh?" Merle griped when they were finally alone.

Maggie sat back in her chair and regarded Merle with an amused expression, "Do you think you need babysitting?"

"I'm a hurt man darlin'. Could use some tender lovin' care." He tried for a pitiful expression that only made Maggie laugh.

"I've seen you take a lot worse and keep on goin'. You're just trying to butter me up."

He grinned wickedly as he reached forward and grabbed her chair, jerking her closer to him. She raised a brow at his brashness, but remained quiet. He turned the full on Dixon stare to her and she groaned silently. He was playing dirty.

"Ya givin' me some images that tha rest o' me is agreein' with sugar." Merle pointedly glanced down at his crotch and Maggie knew better than to look, but she couldn't help it as her eyes drifted to his erection.

She and Merle had never gone farther than a couple of kisses here and there. She was hesitant to let him too close because of his reputation with women so most of the time she tried to keep a good distance between them. He was a hard one to resist when he turned on the charm. Daryl was the same way except the difference was that Daryl didn't ever know when he was being charming which made him all the more so. Merle Dixon knew _exactly_ what he was doing and had no problem letting you know it either.

"Merle," Maggie warned, her tone not as serious as she would have liked it to be.

"Ya know, I been doin' a lotta thinkin' bout you darlin'."

She glanced at him in surprise, "You have?"

He nodded, "Ya keep me at arm's length and I thought it was cause ya didn't like me like that, but now I don't think that's it." Merle leaned forward, his eyes searching hers so intently she swallowed deeply. "I think ya scared that if ya let me in, ya might jus' like it _too_ much. It's a lot easier ta push me away than get ya feelin's hurt. I get it."

She was surprised that he had thought so much about it, but he wasn't entirely right. She wasn't too worried about getting her feelings hurt. She was more worried that he wasn't serious and she wasn't looking for some fling. If she could be sure that he was serious, then the two of them might have something. She just wasn't sure if she wanted to risk it or not.

"That it? Ya scared o' me?" Merle questioned in a low voice.

Maggie pursed her lips and shook her head, "No, I'm not scared of you Merle," she admitted softly. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, waiting on her to continue. She sighed, "I'm not lookin' to be just another notch in your bedpost. I've seen the women you've been with."

He sucked his teeth, his eyes flashing with an unseen emotion. "Think ya know me, is that it?"

Maggie was taken aback at his tone and she pushed her chair back, but his hand darted out, grabbing her by the arm and keeping her there. "I _do_ know you Merle. I've seen it with my own eyes countless times at the bar and in town. Let me go," she said.

He loosened his grip, but he didn't release his hold on her. "I ain't gotta explain myself ta no one, but it's been _months_ since I been with a woman."

She could hear the barely disguised hurt laced through his voice and she slumped back into her chair, her thoughts scattered. Why was he telling her this? Months? They had really just begun to know each other months ago. Was she why he hadn't been with another woman? She doubted it, but it would have been a nice thought. They had known each other since he and Daryl had bought the ranch, but they hadn't always spoken to each other until several months ago. He had started by teasing her and she had flirted back with him a little thinking nothing of it. That was until she had begun to think of him in other ways and since then she had been wary.

"Merle-"

His hands slid underneath her ass and he lifted her from her chair and placed her onto his lap in one full swoop. She gasped as he settled her over his erection and he took the opportunity to slide his tongue inside of her mouth. She wanted to protest, but her body refused her as all of her senses turned to mush. He claimed her with his lips and she whimpered into his mouth even as her hips rocked against him of their own free will. When he pulled back, they were both breathing heavily.

"There's somethin' between us sugar...I'd be a damn fool if I didn't see it. Ya can't tell me ya didn't feel that."

Maggie nodded weakly, "I'm scared Merle," she confessed.

His eyes softened and he swore under his breath. Lifting her again, he moved her so that she stood next to him while he used the table to push himself to his feet. Grabbing his crutches, he nodded at her. "Come with me. We gotta talk."

Maggie could only stare as he worked his way out of the room, not even waiting to see if she was behind him or not. She stood there for a few moments and then she followed the path he had taken silently cursing herself.

...

Daryl climbed off of the ATV and turned to help Carol climb down. He didn't let go of her hand even when her feet touched the ground. He looked down at her, happier than he could ever remember feeling in his whole life. She was quickly becoming so much more to him than he had ever imagined that anyone could be.

Looking at her now, he was overcome by a surge of emotion so strong that he tugged her into him and grazed his lips over hers. He moved softly at first and then when she opened her mouth to him, he swooped his tongue inside. His lips devoured hers like a man dying of thirst. He couldn't get over how sweet she always tasted nor could he seem to get enough of tasting her.

When she had been between his legs earlier he had almost lost his mind with the passion that had been surging through him. Just the touch of her lips down there had nearly made him shoot his load down her throat in the first five minutes. He had wanted to make her feel as good as she had done him. He longed to see her come undone just from his touch like she had the first time he had touched her. Except this time, he didn't want to use his fingers...he wanted to _taste_ her.

He didn't want to take things too fast though so he was playing it all by ear and hoping that he was doing the right thing. Initially he had wanted to wait until she was divorced before things got too intimate between them, but he hadn't realized how hard that was going to be. Now he just hoped that he wasn't trying to push her along too quickly and that he wouldn't screw things up. All of this was pretty much new to him.

She pulled her lips from his gently and sucked in a mouthful of air, her chest rising and falling rapidly. He lifted his hand and used the pad of his thumb to trace the swollen flesh of her bottom lip, spreading the moisture of their kiss into her skin. Her breath hitched and he loved how he could do that to her. Bending his head he nuzzled his face into her neck and breathed in the light scent of jasmine that always seemed to cling to her skin. When he felt himself began to rise, he backed away from her and knew that it was time to call it a night before his body started getting a different idea.

"Come on, I'll walk ya inside," he murmured as he grabbed her hand.

She fell into step beside of him, her small hand enclosed in his as they walked. He took smaller steps than he usually did, in no rush to release her to her room alone. He wanted to drag her into his room and wrap himself around her, breathing in her scent all night while he slept. It scared him how badly he wanted that.

They reached the back door and he opened it, allowing her to enter before him and trying to keep his eyes from staring at her ass as she did so. He followed behind her and she slipped her hand into his once more, surprising him with the action. It only took a few minutes for them to make it to her room and she released his hand and opened her door, hanging onto the doorknob as she turned back to him.

"Thank you for tonight," she said softly.

He leaned forward, bracing one arm against the door frame as he stared at her. "Should be thankin' you."

Carol blushed, the redness blooming beautifully across her cheeks. "Well I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." She ran her fingers over his arm lightly and lifted onto her toes to plant a kiss beneath his ear. He swallowed roughly as the contact sent sparks racing through him. Instead of pulling away, she lingered, her face mere centimeters from his. "I don't want you to go," she admitted and she bit her lip. "Tuck me in?" She blurted.

He blinked in surprise and then groaned silently. "I cross this threshold into that room an' I ain't comin' back out. I guarantee there'll be more than tuckin' in goin' on too. Best if we part ways here."

She nodded and brushed her lips across his once more, a quick kiss that shouldn't have affected him the way that it did. He stood up straight and backed away from the door as she stepped into her room.

"Goodnight Daryl."

"G'night." He stood there a few moments even after she closed the door and he could no longer see her. With much effort, he finally managed to force himself down the hall to his own room which seemed oddly empty. Shedding himself of his clothing he crawled into bed and let thoughts of Carol invade his mind as he drifted off to sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

...

"Maggie?" Carol whispered.

She peered through the dimly lit kitchen to see her new friend attempting to exit through the back door. Carol hadn't been able to sleep so she had decided to get up and fix herself a glass of milk. She had intended to sit for a bit until she felt like she might be able to sleep. She hadn't intended on catching Maggie slipping out in the middle of the night.

Caught in the act, Maggie's shoulders slumped and she sighed before closing the door and turning to face her. Carol could immediately see that the other woman was clearly going through some things and she wanted to help her.

"It's not how it looks," Maggie commented.

Carol nodded, not being one to judge anybody for anything. She had enough stuff on her own plate to judge anyone else. Instead, Carol pulled out a chair for her and grabbed an extra glass from the cabinet.

"Have a seat," she offered.

Maggie chewed on her lip and then released a deep breath before sitting down. Carol busied herself with fixing two glasses of milk and as an afterthought, she grabbed the tin of homemade chocolate chip cookies she had hidden from Merle. She placed everything onto the table and sat down in the chair next to Maggie.

Maggie peered into the tin and then grinned lightly, "Cookies in a coffee tin?"

"If I don't hide them from Merle, he will eat them all in one sitting. It only took me two attempts before I figured out I better tuck some away if anyone else were to have a chance. The man has no boundaries."

"I suppose you're right."

"Am I?" Carol questioned. She grabbed a cookie and dunked it into her milk, an old comfort food of hers.

Maggie slumped across the table and blew out a breath of air. "I'm going to be honest here. I'm up to my elbows in love with Merle Dixon."

Carol's eyes widened and she swallowed down a large chunk of her cookie causing her to cough slightly. She recovered quickly, waving away Maggie's attempts to help. "That's fantastic!"

Maggie reached inside of the tin for a cookie, breaking it in half before she took a bite. "I'm glad one of us thinks so."

"Did something happen?"

"Yes, no...maybe. Hell, I don't know. I'm scared to be in love with him Carol. He's not exactly the type to settle down with a wife and kids...and that's what I want."

"Did you tell him this?"

"Well no...we didn't exactly do much talking..." She blushed.

"Oh my God! Are you serious?" Carol reddened at her outburst and then lowered her voice. "I can't believe him!"

"It was my fault really. He wanted to talk and when he tried to talk to me I panicked. I just went for it and then things escalated from there. What am I doing Carol? Am I purposely trying to push him away? I don't even know anymore!" Maggie crammed a whole cookie in her mouth, drowning in misery.

"Well...I don't have much advice for you I'm afraid. I'm still new at this love thing."

"Wait- you and Daryl? Is it that serious?"

Carol knew she was definitely red now if she hadn't been before. She wasn't entirely sure about how Daryl felt exactly, but for her she knew that this was it. It had to be it. She had never felt so _alive_ , felt so happy. When she wasn't with him, she was thinking about him. Wasn't that what love was all about?

"I'm so happy for you!" Maggie exclaimed as she leaned forward to wrap her arms around Carol in a warm hug.

"Please don't say anything yet. We haven't really said anything..." Carol trailed off.

"Of course. I won't say a word," Maggie replied.

The two women were silent as they drank their milk and contemplated their own love lives. It was nice for Carol to have another woman to confide in and it really made her feel good to be there for Maggie. She finished her milk and studied the other woman.

"Don't," Maggie said and Carol raised her brows. "Don't look at me like that." She sighed. "I'm such a fool, aren't I? Sneaking out on the man that I love in the middle of the night? God I hate myself. He was so sweet tonight too..."

"Sweet? Are we talking about the same Merle Dixon?" Carol joked.

Maggie smiled wistfully, "Yeah. It shocked me too, but he wasn't his usual sarcastic self. It was nice." Maggie blushed as she remembered exactly _how_ nice it had been. "What should I do?" She asked.

"I can't really tell you that...but I think if it were me that I would go back in that room and wait until morning. Talk to him and don't get distracted. He deserves that much, Maggie."

Maggie nodded, "You're right." She stood up and smiled at Carol. "I'm glad you caught me and I'm really glad that we could talk. I've really missed having a woman around to confide in."

Carol smiled back at her and gave her another hug, "Anytime. Why don't you go get some sleep?"

"I am. Thanks Carol...goodnight."

"Night Maggie."

Carol watched the other woman leave the room and heard her soft footsteps head down the hallway. She picked up the two empty glasses and placed them in the sink for later. Grabbing the tin of cookies, she placed them back in their hiding spot and switched off the light. Passing through the dark living room she stopped in the hallway and glanced towards Daryl's room. His light was out and she was glad that at least one of them appeared to be sleeping. Rubbing her eyes, she entered her room and closed the door softly behind her.

Daryl stepped out of the shadows of the living room and stared at Carol's closed bedroom door. He let her words to Maggie sink into him and resisted an overwhelming urge to go to her. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but he had gotten up to go to the bathroom when he had spotted the light streaming from the kitchen. He listened to Maggie express her concerns about his brother and in his opinion Merle was knee deep in love as well. He had never known his brother to take a woman to his bedroom for the sole purpose of talking. He almost laughed out loud at the thought. If he wasn't in the same exact position then he might even tease him about it. Shaking his head, he headed to the bathroom.

...

Maggie slipped back into Merle's bedroom and slid her shoes off. She unbuttoned her jeans and slid them down, her eyes drifting over to Merle. He was asleep on his stomach, snoring softly. The sheet that covered him had slid to his hips, giving her the briefest glimpse of the curve of his ass. She had let her hands roam all over that ass, memorizing every curve and scar on his body. And he had a _very_ nice body. She could definitely see the appeal in the bedroom for all of the other women. She just didn't want to be just another of those women.

With a small sigh, she lifted the sheet and slipped onto the bed. She immediately turned to her side and curled up in the fetal position, trying to relax so that she could sleep. Except every time she closed her eyes her mind became crowded with her thoughts. Carol had been right though. Sneaking out on him in the middle of the night would have been wrong and she couldn't do that to him.

Turning onto her other side she studied him while he slept. His face was softened by sleep, his usual hard lines relaxed and making him seem younger than he was. He breathed softly, his lip poking out slightly with each breath that he exhaled. Unable to resist, she leaned forward and pressed a feather-light kiss to his temple.

He stirred slightly and one strong arm unfurled from around his pillow to slide around her waist. He slid her whole body closer to him, tucking her into his side as if she weighed nothing. She thought that he might have awakened, but he appeared to still be sleeping as his breathing fell back into his steady pattern from before. He hooked one leg around hers almost as if he were ensuring that she couldn't escape a second time. His warmth engulfed her and she yawned, her eyelids fluttering closed. She decided right before she drifted off that she must have been sleepy after all.

...

Carol didn't hear the car pull up in the yard as she carried a load of laundry to the washing machine. She had set aside different days for different household tasks and today was laundry day. As she headed back through the house for one last check for dirty laundry there was a knock at the front door. Changing course, she headed for the door and pulled it open. A man in a formal business suit stood on the porch and she glanced around nervously, noting Daryl who had spotted the car and was quickly striding towards the house.

"Can I help you?" Carol asked.

"Mrs. Peletier?" The man asked.

Carol nodded, "Yes. That's me."

He handed her a large envelope with her name on the front and she looked at it curiously. "You've just been served ma'am. Have a great day." With a nod, the man exited the porch and climbed into his car, leaving down the driveway just as Daryl reached the porch. Daryl glanced after the car with a frown and then at Carol who was opening the envelope. He climbed the steps and stood there watching her.

Carol opened the envelope and pulled out several papers. She scanned over the first paper quickly and then flipped through the rest. She was sure that she must have worn a stunned expression because Daryl reached out to touch her gently on her arm, an expression of concern upon his face.

"Everything alright?" He asked.

She nodded, lifting her head to meet his gaze as she handed him the papers. He accepted them and began to read over them. He stopped halfway through and met her eyes. They both smiled and he set the papers aside to wrap his arms around her, crushing her to him. He lifted her into his embrace and gave a half twirl on the porch making her laugh out loud.

"They're my divorce papers. I'm finally going to be free."


	20. Chapter 20

Carol was rinsing breakfast dishes when she felt strong arms encircle her waist. She smiled as she breathed in the scent that had now become familiar to her. Turning off the water she leaned back into him, drawing comfort from his touch. He nuzzled his face into her neck, the scruff from his beard tickling her skin.

"I didn't get to properly tell ya good mornin' yet," he said into her ear.

Carol turned in his arms and smiled at him as her heart did a little dance. He lowered his head and hovered over her lips before covering them with his own. She opened to him as he nestled closer to her body, fitting herself between her legs. Her breath nearly left her when she felt the hard evidence of his erection pressed against her. His kisses were like the finest of wines, making her feel drunk with need.

"Well hell, looks like I picked tha right time to hobble my ass back in here. Looks like some o' me rubbed off on ya brother," Merle crowed.

Daryl pulled his lips away from Carol reluctantly and rolled his eyes causing Carol to giggle. He stepped away from her and she watched as he leaned against the counter across the room.

"Goin' into town today. Anybody need anything?" Daryl asked.

Carol nodded, "Actually, yes. Do you mind if I ride in with you? I've got some business I need to take care of." Daryl's eyes sliced over hers and he nodded in response.

"Merle?" Daryl asked.

"Nah, I'm good," Merle replied.

Carol could see that he had a lot on his mind. He had been distracted all morning, but she couldn't quite read his mood. Maggie had been gone by the time she had made it to the kitchen to start breakfast earlier.

"I'm gonna go check with Martinez an' see if he needs anything. Meet ya at the truck in ten," Daryl said to her.

"Okay." She smiled at him as he went out through the back door.

Merle settled himself into a chair and played with the salt shaker on the table. Carol felt like she should say something , but she wasn't quite sure what to say. "Are you okay?"

He sighed, "That's tha million dollar question darlin'."

"Didn't you and Maggie talk?"

He glanced at her, "She say somethin' to you?"

Carol swallowed and chose her words carefully, not knowing what Maggie might or might not have said to Merle. "We talked briefly last night."

He hummed low in his throat and drummed his fingers across the table. "Woman's got me all twisted up in damn knots. Think she's scared o' me or somethin'. Guess my reputation's comin' back to bite me in tha ass."

He looked so lost for a moment that he didn't even look like Merle anymore. She walked over to him and placed one hand on his shoulder.

"She cares for you...a _lot_ ," Carol said.

Merle expelled a heavy breath, "She's holdin' back on me, can feel it. I don't know what she wants from me."

"Have you told her how you feel about her?"

"Course I have!" Merle grumbled.

Carol leaned in closer to him and forced him to meet her eyes. "Have you said the words? And don't act like you don't know which words I'm referring to either Merle Dixon."

He shook his head. "Nah, I ain't said the words. This shit ain't easy an' I ain't never put myself out there like that."

"No one ever said it was easy Merle, but I can tell you it's worth it. I will say this though - if you love her then you need to tell her. How can you expect her to give all of herself to you if you won't do the same?" Carol patted his shoulder, her eyes sliding to the kitchen window where she saw Daryl walking to his truck.

"You're good for him, ya know," Merle commented as he followed her gaze.

She smiled softly at him, "Thank you. He's good for me too."

...

Daryl handed the associate at the supply store his list, rifling through his wallet for his credit card.

"I'll get these together for you as quickly as possible Mr. Dixon."

"No rush, Jimmy. Thanks," Daryl responded. The young boy nodded and disappeared into the back with the list in hand.

Daryl's thoughts drifted to Carol while he waited. He had dropped her off at the courthouse and offered to go along with her, but she had politely declined, giving him a scorching kiss instead. They had plans to meet at the diner in town after they were both done. He understood her need to take care of this on her own though and he just hoped she didn't run into any trouble along the way.

The jingle of the bell at the store's entrance revived him from his thoughts and then a familiar voice greeted him.

"I thought I recognized the truck out front," Hershel Greene spoke as he made his way over to Daryl, a broad smile upon his face.

"Hershel," Daryl called back good-naturedly. He shook the elder man's hand warmly, but Hershel scoffed and pulled him into a hug. He rested his large hand upon Daryl's shoulder.

"How are things son? I haven't heard from you in a while, started to send out a search party." Hershel chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess it has been a while, ain't it? Just been busy gettin' shit done. And ya know Merle got hurt. Course he's at home milkin' it for all he's worth," Daryl joked.

"Would he be Merle if he didn't?"

Daryl laughed, "Ya got a point there."

"Maggie has been keeping me updated on his situation. Between you and me though," Hershel suddenly lowered his voice as if he were telling some big secret even though they were the only two standing up front. "I think there's something brewing between those two."

Daryl had to give it to the man. For his age he was still sharp as a tack and didn't miss much of anything that went on around him no matter how small.

"Think you might be right," Daryl agreed.

"It's about time is all I can say. Look, I'm meeting Maggie for lunch here soon - have you eaten?"

Daryl shook his head, "No. Supposed to be meetin' Carol at the diner soon as I'm done here though."

"Perfect! Mind some company? I've been itching to meet this mystery woman who seems to have caught your eye."

Daryl wanted to say that yes he did mind because he had been looking forward to having lunch with Carol alone, but he did want to introduce her to Hershel. The man meant a lot to him and he didn't know what he and Merle would have done without him when they had first moved here.

"Sure," Daryl replied. "Sounds good."

He needed to speak with Maggie again anyway. There were some things he needed to know that hopefully she would be able t


	21. Chapter 21

_**...** _

_**3 weeks later...** _

Merle scowled down at the ridiculous boot cast that the doctor was forcing him to wear. It looked like shit and he had told the doctor as much. Then the doctor had proceeded to tell _him_ that if he didn't wear the boot which allowed him to walk without the crutches then he would order Merle to have the long leg cast put back on. Merle had griped and grumbled, but in the end the doctor had won out. Merle knew he didn't have much choice in the matter if he wanted his freedom back.

He stepped outside and breathed in the morning air deep into his lungs. No one else had made it up yet, it was still early, but Merle had been itching to get back into the swing of things now that he could do more. It felt good to have some control over himself without those damn crutches getting in the way of everything and he headed straight for the stables. He strolled past the stalls until he came to the one that he was looking for. The brown eyes belonging to the horse that had caused him all of this pain regarded him with disinterest across the top of the stall door. Merle stared back at the horse in quiet contemplation.

"Seems ta me that me an' you got off on the wrong foot a few weeks ago," Merle remarked softly. He stared the horse straight in the eyes and leaned against the door. "You an me got a lot in common though...We both ornery bastards that are more often than not misunderstood. I believe we might get along jus' fine after spendin' some more time together."

Merle continued to talk in a quiet voice as he slowly unlatched the stall door. The horse nickered softly as he stepped into the doorway and Merle rested there for a moment, still talking in that same quiet voice. Baby steps, that's what was needed here. The trick was to not approach the horse quickly, but to ease into the situation instead. He could see the horse eyeing him warily, but Merle was used to that look and had seen it before. This horse hadn't had an easy life, whether it be something from it's past that caused it or not, Merle didn't know. What he did know was that there was still hope.

The horse wasn't _broken_ like some people liked to refer to animals. That term really got under Merle's skin. Animals weren't like objects and therefore couldn't be broken. There might have been some scarring, but given time even those wounds could heal. Merle could identify with that- the scarring. He had his own share of scars. They were internal, but they still hurt all the same.

Easing his way further into the stall, Merle stepped closer to the horse so that there were merely inches separating them both now. The horse snorted and stomped its foot, taking a step back. Merle made a shushing noise and advanced, refusing to let the horse get away. They were going to hash this out here and now. He wasn't taking no for an answer.

Taking great care to keep his movements slow and steady, Merle reached out a hand and began to rub the horse between the eyes and ears. He could sense the fear radiating from the horse, but he remained calm and sure. He continued to rub for a few minutes as he edged closer and closer. He stroked his hand along the dark brown coat, watching as the muscles rippled beneath his touch.

"Hmph, so you're a female, eh? No wonder you're so finicky," Merle chuckled. "I'll see if I can't charm ya, but I ain't makin' no promises. Apparently my charm is lackin' here lately."

"Nothin' wrong with your charm."

Merle whipped his head around and was startled to see Maggie lounging against the stall door. He had been so engrossed in the horse that he hadn't even heard her enter. He hadn't seen her in weeks and his eyes drank her in greedily. She was wearing a purple tank with light blue jeans that carried a hole near her upper thigh and a smaller hole over the top of her dark brown boots. He loved the way those boots emphasized her legs, but then again there wasn't a whole lot about her that he didn't like. He had been doing a lot of thinking about her lately and pondering over what Carol had said to him about telling her how he felt. He was scared shitless and he was pretty sure he would rather be kicked by the damn horse again.

Merle Dixon was in love and it scared the shit out of him. Just to admit it to himself was frightening and something he had never thought possible. If she hadn't shown up just now then he would have sought her out this evening. He had let the time pass between them without calling her just to give her space, but that time was up now and he was ready to tell her how he felt. Time to man up.

Patting the horse on her side, he made his way over to Maggie. Leaning forward he braced his hands against the wood of the stall, caging her in as she leaned back to look at him. He had never seen a woman more beautiful.

"Ya make them boots look good," he remarked in a gravelly voice.

She chewed her lip as she stared up at him thoughtfully, "It's been a while."

Merle sighed. Leave it to her to drive straight into the heart of the matter. He rubbed a hand over his face and frowned at the scruff forming there from where he hadn't shaved in a day or two. "Wanted to give ya some time to yourself an' needed to work some things out on my end."

"And did you?"

"Did I what darlin'?"

"Work things out."

He nodded, "Yeah I worked them out."

She blew out a frustrated breath. "And what did you come up with? I swear it's like pulling teeth with y-"

"I love ya," he blurted, his eyes watching her face for her reaction. She blinked and her eyes grew wide. His own breath caught as he watched her eyes water and then a single tear slipped down the side of her face. He promptly caught it with his thumb, wiping it away as his heart started to pound within his chest. "Ain't nothin' to be upset about," he murmured.

She nodded, "I know...it's just that - deep down I was hoping you would say that."

"Ya were?"

Maggie chuckled, "Yes." She placed her hand upon his chest, over his heart. "I love you too, Merle Dixon."

A slow smile split his face, blooming into a full grin as he processed her words. He felt relieved to know that she had felt the same way. It was terrifying yet at the same time it was freeing to tell her how he truly felt. Letting out a loud whoop, he slid his arms around her waist and lifted her an inch from the ground, crushing her to his chest. She laughed, squealed, and then she slugged him in the shoulder - _hard_.

"Merle Dixon! Put me down! You ain't fully recovered yet!"

Merle wasn't listening though. He was still processing the fact that someone loved him for him. His mind was clouded with feelings and emotions that he wasn't sure how to sort through, but he felt _happy_. He knew in that moment that this was the right move for him and now that he had her he wasn't letting her go. Merle Dixon had finally found his happiness and nothing was going to stand in his way.

...

Carol hummed softly to herself as she watered several plants on the front porch that had been severely neglected lately. She was in a pretty good mood that had only brightened further upon seeing Maggie enter the barn in search of Merle. Carol had been more than happy to point her in that direction and she was hoping that the two of them would finally reveal their true feelings to each other.

She didn't hear the sound of a car coming down the driveway until it had pulled to a stop directly in front of the house. Carol stood up straight and shielded her eyes against the bright sunlight as she watched a young woman exit the vehicle. Her good mood took a tumble as she recognized their visitor - Bree. Steeling herself from marching out there and giving the younger girl her two cents worth, Carol took a deep calming breath instead.

Bree approached the house and flashed a sugary smile at Carol. "Is Daryl around?"

Carol brushed her hands across her jeans and walked down the porch steps until they were face to face. "It's Bree, right?" Carol asked, even though she knew the answer. The younger girl nodded. "It's nice to meet you Bree. I'm Carol, Daryl's girlfriend." Carol watched the other girl's face carefully and saw the light begin to fade from her eyes and then Bree frowned.

"Daryl's girlfriend?"

Carol nodded, "That's right. We've been seeing each other for a while now."

Bree seemed to mull this over for a bit, "I thought Daryl liked _me_. What is he doing with you?"

Carol bristled, but retained her dignity. She reminded herself that this was a younger woman who was a lot more naive than she was. "Can I have a serious conversation with you honey?"

Bree appeared confused, but then she nodded. "Okay."

"You and Daryl...It's not going to happen. He's probably ten years older than you sweetheart. He thinks of you as more of a friend than a potential love interest and I'm sure that he would appreciate it if you would stop trying to come onto him." Carol was taking the liberty of assuming that Daryl wouldn't mind if the girl came around as long as she stopped trying to flirt with him endlessly.

Bree bit her lip and turned her head from Carol, but not before she saw the flash of hurt and tears in her eyes. "I must be so stupid," she muttered.

"Of course not. Daryl is very attractive and I for one, can certainly see the interest there. But don't you think that you should be focusing on guys more your age? I'm sure there's got to be some that are interested in you. You're a beautiful young woman."

Bree shrugged, "I guess so. I just thought..." She swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I just thought that Daryl was trying to play hard to get. I know Merle was always saying that he was a hard one to break. I didn't realize that he really didn't like me. He must hate me now," she sniffed.

Carol felt her heart begin to melt for this girl and she patted her on the back in a soothing gesture. "I'm sure he doesn't hate you...Daryl just likes his space. And for the love of God, don't _ever_ listen to advice from Merle Dixon on his brother's love life," Carol laughed.

A small smile teased Bree's lips and she nodded, "Yeah, I guess I messed up pretty bad, huh? I always try too hard," she muttered. "Do you think he'll want me to stay away?"

"I'll talk to Daryl for you if you want and explain that it was all a misunderstanding. I'm sure he'll understand. But for now, why don't you take on off and stop by another time?" Carol suggested.

"Alright. I guess I can do that...Thanks for bein' so nice Carol."

Carol smiled, "Of course. Take care, Bree."

The young woman waved at her and got into her car, driving back the way she had come. Carol watched her go, glad that she had had the opportunity to talk with her. She couldn't wait to tell Daryl all about it and see his reaction. She turned on her heel and headed around the side of the house in search of him.

She had barely taken two steps around the corner when strong arms grabbed her by the waist. She yelped, finding herself pressed flat against the wall of the house, Daryl's body achingly close to hers. He nearly took her breath away as she drank him in.

He was sweaty and shirtless, a thick pair of gloves covering his hands. Hands that had the ability to bring her to her knees. She shivered at the thought of exactly what those hands could do. His hair was disheveled as if he had spent the better part of the morning running his hands through it. Her pulse began to quicken as he eyed her with an expression she couldn't read clearly.

"Hi," she whispered softly, biting down on her lip.

His lips quirked, but he made no response other than to lower his head and capture her lips with his own. Her head began to spin as he deepened the kiss, the intensity between them growing. His gloved hands slipped down the siding on the house and grabbed her underneath her ass, hauling her up against him while keeping her propped against the wall.

Carol instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing their hips flush against each other. She groaned into his mouth at the feel of his tongue staking its claim on hers. When he pulled away she was nearly breathless with desire, her sole intent for coming to find him forgotten.

"Heard ya little conversation back there," he muttered. "You handled that like a pro. Tellin' her that you were my girlfriend was so fuckin' hot."

Daryl slid his tongue over the smooth column of her throat and she swallowed as he tightened his grip. The ache between her legs intensified upon feeling his erection pressing against her, hard and ready. She hadn't ever wanted anything so badly in her entire life as much as she wanted Daryl Dixon buried deep inside of her at that very moment.

"I want you," she breathed.

He growled, his lips still moving across her skin. "Soon."

Carol whimpered in protest, but paused as his fingers unbuttoned her jeans and slid the zipper down so that his hand could slide beneath the denim. He ripped off his glove and his eyes burned into hers as he wedged his hand beneath her clothing and dove straight into her. Carol bucked against him, her head falling back against the house as he worked her with his thick fingers. Even though they were on the opposite side of the house where the others barely frequented, there was still the risk that someone might see them. Carol realized she didn't care though. She was too far gone with desire to care about anything other than this man in front of her. She latched onto his forearms as he rubbed two fingers into her, her body feeling like it was going to burst into flames.

"Daryl," she gasped as he buried his face into her neck, his hot breath flowing over her flushed skin.

"I want to be buried in you so bad," he whispered into her ear huskily.

Carol shivered and then she moaned loudly as her body let go. Her skin pulsed around his fingers as she trembled through her orgasm. He slid his hand from her pants, his arms still supporting her weight as he pressed a kiss to her temple. She bit back her words of love, wanting to wait until the time was right to tell him.

"I can't believe that happened so quickly," she blushed at just how quickly he had managed to take her over the edge.

His chest seemed to puff out a little at that statement. "We could go another round," he offered with a smirk.

She laughed and pushed at his chest, "I just might take you up on that later."

He winked, his eyes full of promise. "Lookin' forward to it."


	22. Chapter 22

...

"Did you pick that stuff up for me?"

"You've only texted me half a million times. Yes, I picked everything up. Christ! You owe me."

He huffed at her statement, but he knew that he really did owe her one. "Fine. We'll talk about that later. Now how soon can ya get here?"

She sighed, "You're very pushy you know that, right? I'm already on my way. It's your job to keep her occupied. Don't screw this up."

He wiped at his brow and gnawed at his lip, "Alright...thanks."

"You're welcome."

...

Daryl had been acting weird all day and Carol had no idea what was going on. His responses were short and he had seemed completely distracted all day. She had no idea if it was because of her or not, but it was making her nervous. Everything had been going great with them and they were becoming more and more familiar with each other as the days passed. She was trying not to worry about what might be wrong and instead focus on other mindless tasks to keep her mind occupied, but that was proving rather difficult.

Merle and Martinez had disappeared sometime after lunch, taking off in Merle's truck. Something was going on and no one was telling her anything. She wasn't even sure where Daryl was right at the moment for that matter. She knew that he was somewhere on the property, but she hadn't seen him in quite some time.

Hearing the sound of thunder booming in the distance she peered out of her bedroom window with a frown. She could see several dark clouds that appeared to be close to the area and guessed they were about to be on the receiving end of a storm soon. They had them quite frequently and she was growing used to the way the storms seemed to pop up out of nowhere.

"Hey."

Carol jumped at the sound of Daryl's voice, her face burning as she turned to him in embarrassment. She had been so engrossed in the weather that she hadn't even heard him approach. His presence filled the doorway of her bedroom and she swallowed down a wave of desire that coursed through her. He still seemed nervous and she could tell that he had been chewing on his lip even with the distance that separated them.

"Hey," she replied. "Everything okay?"

He nodded, "It's fine. Need to talk to ya. Wanna meet me out at the barn in about an hour?"

Carol raised a brow at the odd request. "Okay," she agreed.

He gave her a small smile and disappeared from the room as quickly as he had appeared leaving Carol even more baffled than she was before.

...

That hour was the longest of Daryl's life and he found himself pacing back and forth long before the hour was up. When he finally spotted her leaving the house and walking in his direction, his heart skipped a beat. This was it and there was no turning back now. He ran his fingers through his hair for the hundredth time since he had walked back outside.

He stood in the shadows of the barn, watching as she made her way over to him while preparing himself for the evening ahead. She was halfway to the barn when the dark clouds that had loomed in the distance earlier released a torrential downpour of rain. She paused in shock and then he heard her laugh as he jogged out to hurry her inside.

He grasped her hand tightly in his as they stood under the shelter of the barn, both of them dripping wet and breathing hard. She turned to him with a smile as she pushed several strands of hair from her eyes. He swiped at a runaway raindrop with his thumb and she placed her hand over his. She was dressed in shorts and a regular t-shirt that was so wet it outlined her bra clearly. To him she was beautiful.

As the storm raged around them outside, the air between them crackled with its own electricity. Moving his hand from her face he dropped it to her neck where he brushed her wet hair from her skin. She shivered and tilted her head into his touch, her lips parting. Lifting her eyes to his, they captured and held him mesmerized. He had never wanted anyone so badly and he was damn near shaking from the force of it.

"Daryl?" Soulful blue eyes seared his very soul.

"Yeah?"

"Is everything okay? You've been distant today," she remarked softly. "Did I do something?"

He silently cursed himself for giving her doubts. He hadn't meant to upset her in any way and he had worked so hard today to make sure that everything was perfect for tonight. He had even sent Merle and Martinez away just so that they could have some time alone together uninterrupted.

"Christ, no. You didn't do nothin'. I have been distracted, but I had good reason for it. Com'ere," he coaxed as he grabbed her gently by the hand.

She let him lead her through the barn until he came to a stop in front of one of the stalls and turned to her. He was almost sweating now and he was trying desperately not to overthink the whole situation for fear he would give himself a stroke. Christ, the way she was peering up at him with such open trust and admiration in her eyes was going to damn near kill him. But Daryl Dixon had never backed down from anything in his life and he had never been one to be scared away by anything. He swallowed past his emotions and drew her closer to the stall before stepping aside.

She stepped closer and peered inside hesitantly and he saw her gasp, her eyes darting to his quickly before looking back inside. He studied the scene that Maggie had mostly created for him and tried to see it through her eyes.

There were several small bundles of hay placed strategically about the stall with a thick blanket spread out in the middle big enough for two. A small lantern hung from a peg in the wall, illuminating the space with a soft glow. Maggie had placed a bouquet of roses at the head of the blanket and he watched as she picked them up and breathed in their scent deeply. She smiled and glanced in his direction.

"Is all this for us?"

"It's mostly for you, but yeah," he admitted. Jamming his hands in his pockets he waited.

"It's beautiful," she spun in a slow circle and cast a wide smile in his direction. "No one has ever done anything like this for me before."

He cleared his throat and gently pulled the flowers from her hands, placing them on top of a hay bundle out of their way. He pressed a light kiss to her lips, reveling in the sweetness that was Carol.

"I'd like to do more if you'll let me," he whispered seriously.

She twined her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him, "Show me," she breathed.

She didn't have to ask him twice. As the thunder shook the ground around them, he claimed her lips once more in a kiss saturated with passion. She placed her hands against his chest and he walked her backwards until her back hit the wall. Without a word he grasped the hem of his drenched shirt and pulled it free of his body watching her eyes slide over him hungrily. She bit her lip and echoed his action, her own shirt joining his in a wet heap on the barn floor.

Daryl pulled his boots off and tossed them over his shoulder before bending to remove her shoes which he threw in the same direction. Carol laughed, but her laughter quickly died in her throat when he lifted her, one hand gripping her ass while the other protected her back from the wooden wall. His groin rubbed against hers, the friction doing delicious things to his body. She wrapped her legs around his waist and a soft moan escaped her lips when he began to suck on the soft flesh of her neck. He wanted to mark her, wanted to show the world that she was his. He never wanted to let her go.

With the hand that was trapped behind her back, he fiddled with the clasp of her bra before finally getting it open. She wiggled the straps down her arms and he drank in her soft full breasts that were finally bared to his gaze. He hoisted her higher using his knee for leverage and bent his head to take one taut pink nipple into his mouth. She whimpered and undulated her hips against him causing his cock to throb harder. Swirling his tongue across the rosy bud he took his time toying with her until she began to tug at his hair in protest.

"Daryl... _please_ ," she begged.

He reluctantly pulled his mouth from her breasts and met her eyes that mirrored his own with desire. Pushing away from the wall, he eased them both down onto the blanket, capturing her mouth with his own as they landed. Carol's hands roamed the broad expanse of his back, tracing over old scars embedded into his skin like a road map of his life. He trembled at her touch and she pulled from his kiss to suck the lobe of his ear into her mouth. He growled low in his throat and ripped free of her, fumbling with the button of his jeans.

He had them off in no time at all and moved to help her remove hers as well. He was caught off guard when she pushed him over onto his back and rolled so that she was sitting on his chest.

"I want to see you," she murmured as her eyes drifted over him lazily.

Daryl lay as still as he possibly could watching her face as she explored his body with her eyes. When she grabbed him in her hand he hissed and rose to his elbows.

"Carol!"

She gave him a pointed look and gently pushed him back down with her hand. His chest was heaving, but he complied with her wishes, closing his eyes and counting backward from one hundred in an attempt not to spout off right then and there. She slid her hand up and down the length of him agonizingly slow and his hips thrust into her grip of their own free will.

"You like that, huh?" She asked softly.

He grunted something unintelligible as a reply, desperately trying to hang onto his dignity. He glanced at her as she moved over him trying to find a rhythm. Her hair hung in a soft curtain around her face and he threaded his fingers through it, sweeping it to the side so that he could see her. She moaned at his touch and the vibrations barreled through him like a freight train of sensation.

"Christ," he breathed as he bit down on his lip harshly.

Moving quickly, he grabbed her by the arms and hauled her up his chest. If she made him cum now then he wasn't sure they would make it any further. Although with the way that she managed to make his blood roar through his veins, he wasn't entirely sure of anything. Rolling back on top of her he slid a finger into her folds, sucking in a breath as he found her tight heat. He began to stroke her, moving his lips to press soft kisses all over her skin as he did so. She arched her back into his touch and he marveled at the way her body seemed to glow when he touched her. He felt a sense of pride at being able to bring her to this point.

Daryl circled over her clit with the pad of his thumb and watched her face twist in pleasure. She panted beneath him, her hands reaching for whatever she could grab and hang onto. He placed his mouth on her hipbone and sucked, grazing her with his teeth. He could smell her arousal and he wanted to taste her in that moment. If it was the last thing he ever did, he had to taste her.

Kneeling between her legs, he moved his finger just enough to dip his tongue into her. She jerked underneath him, her loud moan spurring him on. He traced her lines with his tongue, drawing circles over her skin again and again. Her fingers twisted into his damp hair and she tugged on it hard. Daryl pressed his face further into her, the brittleness of his beard scratching against her. She gasped suddenly and cried out loudly, her body flooding his mouth. He drank her dry, continuing to pleasure her until her shudders ceased. He pulled away and wiped his mouth on the edge of the blanket as she reached for his hand.

Daryl pulled his body up alongside hers and their fingers twined together. He knew he wanted to go farther, but he wasn't sure about her intentions and the last thing he wanted to do was push her into something she wasn't ready for. There were things he wanted to say to her also, things he had recited over and over in his mind all day. It had been another reason he had been so distracted.

A soft snort above their heads had him looking up into the eyes of Apple. He tried to motion the horse away, but it was too late.

"What's that around her neck?" Carol asked as she sat up.

Daryl sighed. This wasn't how he had planned this moment and he had been working with Apple to make sure everything went as planned. However, apparently his horse had a mind of its own and was blowing his plan to hell and back. Daryl rose to his knees and untied the box from Apple's neck, patting the horse gently to let her know she did well despite being out of sync.

Blowing out a deep breath Daryl held the box tightly in his hands and thought about what he wanted to say. Everything that he had spent so long rehearsing fled his mind and all he could focus on was Carol and how beautiful she looked beside him.

"Daryl?"

He licked his lips, "This wasn't supposed to happen just yet. Had a plan in my head for how I wanted this evenin' to go, but I guess my horse had a plan of her own." He glanced up, but Apple's head had disappeared back into her own stall. _Traitor._ He forced himself to meet Carol's eyes head on. "I had a lotta things I wanted to say here, but every time I look at you all rational thought flees my mind. I ain't one for big romantic speeches or nothin' and I'm far from perfect, but I'm..." He paused and held the box out to her. "I know your divorce ain't final yet and I'm probably fuckin' this shit up big time, but-" He paused at her sharp intake of breath. "Fuck, are you cryin'?"

Moving closer to her, he swiped her tears away with his hands. She sniffed once and laughed shakily, "Don't stop. Please continue."

Panicked by her tears, he decided the hell with it all and just ran with it. "Marry me," he blurted. "Christ that's not how I meant it to come out," he cursed as he stared into her red rimmed eyes. "You're the first thing that pops into my head in the mornin' and the last thing that I think about before I fall asleep. I can't get you outta my head and I don't want to. I know you're still married to that asshole, but I'm hopin' that when your divorce is final that you'll marry me. Let me show you how a real marriage works. Let me cherish you Carol..."

She began to nod, the tears streaming down her face freely. "Yes! God yes!"

He felt the corner of his lip begin to lift and then a tentative smile broke free. He was almost scared to speak for fear that somehow this would all be a dream. Silently, he opened her hand and placed the box within her palm. She lifted the lid with shaking fingers to reveal a ring which he lifted out of the box.

The ring was white gold and it wasn't anything fancy, but the moment he had spotted it, he had somehow known. Maggie had agreed whole-heartedly, having gone along with him to help him search. The top of the band was weaved into an infinity symbol that was littered with tiny blue sapphires.

"It's beautiful," she commented as she held out her finger for him to slide it on.

"I thought it matched your eyes," he responded softly.

Carol stared at the ring on her finger for several minutes and then she crawled onto his lap and kissed him with a passion that left him breathless. The feel of her tiny body and bare breasts sliding against his chest brought him back to full arousal quickly. The tip of his cock pressed against her and she rocked back and forth coating him with her wetness.

"You sure about this?" He murmured as his arms wrapped around her back.

She opened her eyes and smiled, "More sure than I have ever been about anything."

Daryl reached between them and grabbed his cock, holding it steady as she lifted her hips and guided herself down on him. The feeling of her wrapping around him was almost too much to bear and he groaned as her body accepted him. He lifted her hips a fraction of an inch and then brought her back down, seating her onto him completely. She cried out in pleasure, throwing her head back as she rocked out a steady rhythm. He let her set the pace as his hands roved her back, his eyes feasting on her nudity. When she began to tighten over him he took over and pushed on her hips to take her deeper. She rested her forehead against his, their warm breath mingling.

"I love you Carol," he rasped.

"I love you too."

Her admission of love had him teetering on the edge of oblivion and he could feel the sweat bead on his forehead as he waited for to cum first. She ground her hips against his as her body locked tight around him, her walls squeezing him as she cried out. He followed seconds behind her, grateful to be able to let go as he spilled himself inside of her. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, binding her body to his as they drifted down from their high. He never wanted to let her go.

She nuzzled her head into the curve of his neck, her breath hitting him softly and he felt her yawn. His fingers roamed over her back in lazy circles exploring her smooth skin so unlike his own.

"Why?" He asked suddenly.

"Why what?" She responded sleepily.

"Why'd you say yes?" He had to know.

Carol was silent for several minutes and she took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. He could feel her heart beating opposite his against his chest.

"Because you're everything I've ever wanted in my life, Daryl. There was a reason that Ed kicked me out of the car that day and I'm so thankful he did because you found me. I was trapped," she explained. "I knew that I didn't love that man...I was planning to leave him at our next stop anyway. I was going to just take off without any idea of where I would go or what I would do. I just knew that I wanted a new beginning...a new life." She lifted her head and framed his face with her hands. "You're my new beginning Daryl."

"Never knew I was missin' anything in life until the day you entered it. You were everything I never knew I wanted. Anything you want...it's yours," he offered.

She kissed him softly, the cool metal of her ring rubbing against his cheek. "I only want you Daryl Dixon," she replied. "Although I could do without Merle..." She teased.

"I'd get rid of him for you. We'll put him out here in the stables with the damn horses so they can bond," he snorted.

"Don't forget his bell," she shrieked with laughter as he tackled her back to the ground and silenced her with a scorching kiss.

.............

 


End file.
